
r 



Class _ “PZ. 3 _ 
Book 

Go[pght>l? 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 





1 


THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES 

OF 


EOBINSON CEUSOE 


iDflacmillan's Pocket American anti lEnglisj) Classics 


A Series of English Texts, edited for use in Elementary and 
Secondary Schools, with Critical Introductions, Notes, etc. 

l6mo. Cloth. 25c. each. 


Addison’s Sir Roger de Coverley. 
Browning’s Shorter Poems. 

Browning, Mrs., Poems (Selected). 
Burke's Speech on Conciliation. 
Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. 
Byron’s Shorter Poems. 

Carlyle’s Essay on Burns. , 

Chaucer’s Prologue and Knight’s Tale. 
Coleridge’s The Ancient Mariner. 
Cooper’s The Deerslayer. 

Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans. 
De Quincey’s Confessions of an 
English Opium-Eater. 

Dryden’s Palamon and Arcite. 

Early American Orations, 1760-1824. 
Edwards’ (Jonathan) Sermons. 

Eliot’s Silas Marner. 

Epoch-making Papers in U. S. History. 
Franklin’s Autobiography. 

Goldsmith’s The Vicar of Wakefield. 
Hawthorne’s Twice-told Tales (Selec- 
tions from). 

Irving’s Life of Goldsmith. 

Irving’s The Alhambra. 

Irving’s Sketch Book. 

Longfellow’s Evangeline. 

Lowell’s The Vision of Sir Launfal. 
Macaulay’s Essay on Addison. 
Macaulay’s Essay on Hastings. 
Macaulay’s Essay on Lord Clive. 
Macaulay’s Essay on Milton. 


Macaulay’s Lays of Ancient Rome. 
Macaulay’s Life of Samuel Johnson. 
Milton’s Comus and Other Poems. 
Milton’s Paradise Lost, Bks. I and II. 
Old English Ballads. 

Palgrave’s Golden Treasury. 
Plutarch’s Lives (Caesar, Brutus, and 
Mark Antony). 

Poe’s Poems. 

Poe’s Prose Tales (Selections from). 
Pope’s Homer’s Iliad. 

Ruskin’s Sesame and Lilies. 

Scott’s Ivanhoe. 

Scott’s Lady of the Lake. 

Scott’s Lay of the Last Minstrel. 
Scott’s Marmion. 

Shakespeare’s As You Like It. 
Shakespeare’s Hamlet. 
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 
Shakespeare’s Macbeth. 
Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. 
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. 
Shelley and Keats : Poems. 

Southern Poets; Selections. 

Spenser’s Faerie Queene, Book 1. 
Stevenson’s Treasure Island, 
Tennyson’s Idylls of the King. 
Tennyson’s The Princess. 
Tennyson’s Shorter Poems. 
Woolman’s Journal. 

Wordsworth’s Shorter Poems. 


OTHERS TO FOLLOW. 




ROBINSON CRUSOE 
(See page S5) 



THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


BY 

DANIEL DEFOE 


EDITED WITH NOTES AND AN INTRODUCTION 
BY 

CLIFTON JOHNSON 

) 

> 

) ■) 

J > ■) 


THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., Ltd. 

1904 


All rights reserved 


LIBRARY Of CONGRESSj 
Two Copies Receivea | 

NOV 15 I9U4 

Copyriirni tntry 

c-y. f S', 

CUSS 

/ o < 7 2. X 

COPY B. 




Copyright, 1904, 

By the MACMILLAN COMPANY. 


Set up and clectrotyped. Published November, 1904. 



Nortooob 

J. S. Cushing & Co. — Berwick & Smith Co. 
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A 


NOTE 


“Robinson Crusoe” as here reprinted is condensed and 
edited for the use of schools. The omissions consist largely 
either of portions not concerned with the hero’s hfe on his 
island, or of repetitions and reflections that add nothing to 
the interest of the story. Practically every incident of his 
island life is included. Obsolete words not easily understood 
have been modernized, and occasional other minor changes have 
been necessary, but as a whole the text is Defoe’s own. 




CONTENTS 


Introduction . 


CHAPTER I 

Of my birth and education — My desire to go to sea — I go 
on board a ship bound for London — The ship is wrecked 
in a severe storm off Yarmouth and I barely escape with 
my life — I make my way by land from Yarmouth to 
London 


CHAPTER II 

I fall in with the master of a ship about to sail for the coast 
of Guinea, and I make a prosperous voyage with him — 
I start on a second voyage to Guinea, but the ship is 
taken by pirates — At the Moorish port of Sallee I live a 
captive for two years — On escaping I cruise for many 
days southward along the African coast until I am taken 
up by a Portuguese trader bound for the Brazils 

CHAPTER III 

I buy land in the Brazils and become a planter — In 1659, I 
begin a voyage to Africa after negroes — The ship is 
driven out of its course by storms and is wrecked on a 
strange coast — We launch the ship’s boat, but it is over- 


Vlll 


CONTENTS 


PA6B 

turned and I alone reach the land alive — My first day 
on the island and my visit to the ship — I make a raft 
and carry much goods to shore — I continue to go to the 
ship nearly every day for some time and bring away all 
I can 20 

CHAPTER IV 

I seek a place where I can make my dwelling — Having pitched 
my tent and fortified it, I dig a cave — A thunderstorm 
frights me with the thought that the lightning might ex- 
plode all my powder — I separate the powder into small 
parcels and bestow it in a number of different places — 

Of how I killed goats for my food, and of how I kept a 
reckoning of time by cutting notches on a post . . 35 

CHAPTER Y 

Of my work day by day — I am greatly astonished to find 
some stalks of rice and barley springing up near my 
dwelling — An earthquake nearly destroys my cave — 

The wrecked ship is heaved up in a new posture and I 
bring many more things out of it — I have a violent attack 
of ague — In a chest where I had stowed various articles 
I find a Bible, and the reading of it greatly comforts me . 41 

CHAPTER VI 

I recover from my ague — Of a journey I made into the island 
— I discover melons, limes, and abundance of grapes fit 
for raisins — Of my cats — I dig up a piece of ground and 
sow my grain — I travel to the other side of the island, 
and I bring home a young parrot and a kid I captured . 54 


CONTENTS 


IX 


CHAPTER VII 

PA6K 

I return from my wandering journey — Of how I made me a 
board for a long shelf — I harvest my first crop of barley 
and rice — My troubles in making pots and jars — I build 
a boat, but am not able to launch it — I make some clothes 
and a great umbrella out of the skins of animals . . 63 

CHAPTER VIII 

I hew out a second boat, get it into the water, and begin a 
voyage around the island — A swift current carries me 
a great distance to sea — With difficulty I get back, and 
being landed on the north side of the island I return 
home on foot — I capture some young goats and fence 
them a pasturage — Of my dress and appearance — I am 
surprised with the print of a man’s naked foot on the 
shore — I strengthen my defences 76 

CHAPTER IX 

I place part of my herd of goats in a more retired part of my 
dominions — I find on the shore skulls and other bones 
of human bodies where the savages have feasted on their 
fellow-creatures — Of my inventions to destroy some of 
the cannibals — I discover a natural cave in the interior 
of the island * . . .93 


CHAPTER X 

Of my life and surroundings in the twenty-third year of my 
residence in the island — I am startled one foul night 
with the noise of a gun fired at sea — In the morning I 
see the wreck of a ship cast away on some distant rocks 
— I make a voyage in my boat to the wreck — The sav- 


X 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

ages land on my side of the island with several captives 
— One of the prisoners escapes and runs up into the 
island — I rescue him from his pursuers and he becomes 
my servant and I name him Friday 101 

CHAPTER XI 

I teach Friday to help me in my work — He learns to talk 
English and tells me of his nation, and of their wars and 
religion and of some white men who dwelt with his 
people — We make another boat and fit it with a mast 
and sails 115 

CHAPTER XII 

Three more canoes come to the island — I discover a white 
man among the prisoners brought by the savages — We 
attack the cannibals and release the white man, who 
proves to be a Spaniard, and another prisoner whom 
Friday finds is his old father — Sixteen of the Spaniard’s 
countrymen being on the mainland, whither they had 
escaped from a wreck four years previous, he goes after 
them accompanied by Friday’s father . . . .127 

CHAPTER XIII 

I discover an English ship anchored near the island — A boat 
from the ship comes to the shore with eleven men in it, 
three of whom seem to be prisoners — The prisoners 
being left on the beach, while the rest go away inland, I 
go to the prisoners’ assistance and learn that they are the 
captain and mate of the ship and a passenger — I like- 
wise learn that the crew has mutinied — By strategy we 
capture all of the crew who had come to the island . 140 


CONTENTS 


XI 


CHAPTER XIV 

PAGE 

Of the measures we took to regain possession of the ship — I 
accept the offer of the captain to take me back to Eng- 
land, and I leave my island after having been there more 
than eight and twenty years — ^ I reach England and find 
that nearly all my relatives and old friends are dead — I 
visit Lisbon and discover that the Portuguese captain 
who carried me to the Brazils is still alive — From him I 
learn that my plantation in the Brazils has largely in- 
creased in value — He assists me to sell it and I return 
to England 155 


CHAPTER XV 

I marry and stay in my native land for seven years — My 
wife dying, my wandering disposition again takes posses- 
sion of me — My nephew, being commander of a ship 
about to make a voyage to the East Indies, proposes to 
take me with him — We seek out my island — Of the five 
mutineers left behind by the ship which carried me to 
England, and of the Spaniards who came to the island 
soon after I left 164 


CHAPTER XVI 

Numerous savages visit the island and two hostile nations 
engage there in battle — The three worst Englishmen and 
the Spaniards come to blows and the Englishmen are 
turned out of the plantation — They establish homes on 
the other side of the island — They presently take one of 
the boats and go away, but return after two and twenty 
days — -With them they bring eight savages, five of whom 
are women — The women become the wives of the five 
Englishmen 178 


XU 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER XVII 

Of more visits to the island by the savages, who bum the 
habitations of two of the Englishmen — The savages are 
repulsed, but return in a great army — A battle is fought 
and a large part of the savages are killed and the rest 
are made prisoners — They are given a portion of the 
island and taught to provide food for themselves . 

CHAPTER XVIII 

Of the things I brought from England and presented to my 
colony — Of the condition in which I left the island — 
We sail away, and three days later encounter a fleet of 
savage canoes — The death of Friday — The voyage is 
continued and I at length again arrive in my native land 

Notes 


PAGE 

191 


205 

213 


INTRODUCTION 

Four hundred miles out in the Pacific Ocean, directly west 
of the city of Valparaiso, is the little island of Juan Fernandez, 
eighteen miles long by six miles wide. For the most part the 
island is covered with high rocky mountains ; yet there are nu- 
merous fertile valleys secluded among the stony ridges, and in 
them grow oats, apples, strawberries, melons, grapes, and figs, 
while numbers of wild goats wander on the cliffs. About a 
dozen families of Chilians are the island's only human occupants, 
and the object of supreme interest on this ocean-girt bit of land 
is a humble monument on a seaward-looking hill inscribed to 
the memory of Alexander Selkirk. 

In the year 1704 Selkirk was the second in command of an 
English man-of-war cruising on the west coast of South Amer- 
ica. He had been involved in frequent quarrels with the cap- 
tain, and, furthermore, he believed that the vessel on which he 
was an officer was unseaworthy. At his own request, therefore, 
he was set ashore on this then uninhabited island of Juan Fer- 
nandez, and the man-of-war went on its way. From the ship 
he had received certain necessaries and his personal effects, and 
with no further aid, save what was supplied by his own wit and 
labor, he continued on the island in complete solitude for the 
space of four years and four months. 

After his rescue and his return to England his strange ex- 
perience attracted a good deal of attention, and several accounts 
of it were published. But curiosity was soon satisfied, and 
Selkirk would probably have been whoUy forgotten had it not 

xiii 


XIV 


INTRODUCTION 


been far the appearance in 1719 of a book entitled, The Life 
and Strange Surprising Adventures of Rohmson Crusoe. This 
took Selkirk’s story for its foundation, and it made him and 
his island forever famous. It, however, treated the facts freely, 
and made the whole a vivid personal narrative in which the 
daily life and thought, work and troubles of the hero are brought 
before its readers almost as clearly as if they had shared the 
hero’s experiences. 

The public delighted in the book from the very first, and few 
characters in fiction have ever given such universal satisfaction 
as has Defoe’s depiction of this English adventurer. Seventeen 
days after the book was put on the market the demand made 
necessary a second edition, and in a short time still other editions 
had to be supplied. Its fame spread rapidly, and the story con- 
stantly grew in favor ; yet it did not escape criticism, and it was 
parodied and derided. That, however, only served to draw at- 
tention to it even more generally, till at length an unfriendly 
critic of the day scoffingly announced, “ There is not an old woman 
that can go to the price of it, but buys and leaves it as a legacy, 
with the Pilgrim's Progress, the Practice of Piety, and 
God's Revenge against Murther, to her posterity.” Another 
evidence of the book’s widespread popularity is found in the fact 
that soon after its publication one of the pirates who then in- 
fested the coasts of Carolina and Virginia named his ship after 
Defoe’s hero. This made the author very angry, and he called 
the pirate “a most bloody-minded murdering rogue” for thus 
misusing an honest name. 

Defoe followed up his success with a continuation of the nar- 
rative, and this second part was brought out in less than half a 
year from the time the first was issued. A month or two later 
the London Post began to reprint the whole in weekly parts, 
and it thereby became the first serial in the language. 

Both volumes were promptly translated into French and Ger- 
man, and, in the years since, this work of Defoe’s has been trans- 


INTRODUCTION 


XV 


lated into almost every printed language, even into Latin and 
Greek. In English its forms are countless. There are styles 
suited to every class of readers and to all purses. Indeed, there 
have been abridgments that sold for a farthing. 

The success of Robinson Crusoe inspired many imitations, 
but none of these rivalled the original or attained any lasting 
fame. Defoe himself not only published the continuation of his 
romance already mentioned, but later added a third volume, com- 
posed of Crusoe’s “Serious Reflections.” The public, however, 
did not care for Crusoe’s thoughts with no adventures to give them 
spice, and this third part long ago dropped into oblivion, and is 
now little known and never reprinted. The first part was 
decidedly the best, though the second was scarcely inferior as 
long as it had to do with the story of the island, for with 
Robinson’s final departure from the spot which for so large a 
portion of his life had been his home, he goes on a wandering 
journey into Asia. He has no lack of adventures, but they are 
disconnected, and the relation of them fails to hold the interest. 

Daniel Defoe, the creator of Robinson Crusoe^ was born in 
London in 1661. He was the son of James Foe, a butcher. 
Why he changed the name to which he was heir is not known, 
but he did not sign himself Defoe until middle life, and even 
then sometimes returned to the older form. The father was 
prosperous and in good repute. He was a prominent dissenter, 
and, with the intention that his son should become a Noncon- 
formist minister, sent him at the age of fourteen to the academy 
of Rev. Charles Morton. This teacher Defoe always spoke of 
with respect and gratitude. The school excelled in its teaching 
of English. It also did much to train its pupils to reflect on 
current politics, and the master took especial pains to impart 
such knowledge that his pupils would not enter blindly in after 
life on the controversies of their day. 

After four or five years of schooling, the idea of making a 
minister of Defoe was abandoned, and he began a business 


XVI 


INTRODUCTION 


career in the office of a London hosier. About the time he' fin- 
ished his apprenticeship the Monmouth Rebellion broke out, and 
Defoe joined the rebels and fought in the battle of Sedgemoor 
against the dominion of James II. After the defeat and dis- 
persion of the insurgents, Defoe, to escape the danger of hanging, 
fled to the continent. Until England became tranquil he stayed 
in Spain and Portugal. Then he returned and established him- 
self in London as a hosier. He was energetic and daring in 
business, and presently became a merchant adventurer in trade 
with Spain. His failure was a result, but he went on undis- 
couraged, and in the end paid every penny of indebtedness. 
Lost ground was rapidly recovered ; he was appointed to a lucra- 
tive government position, and established some profitable tile 
works on the Thames, about twenty miles east of London. 

When the year 1702 began it found Defoe prosperous, famed 
as a writer, and in high favor with the king and the govern- i 
ment. By the end of the year he was persecuted, proscribed, 
and ruined. The king had died, and under Queen Anne, his 
successor, there was a renewal of bitterness toward Noncon- 
formists. This drew from Defoe a satirical pamphlet entitled. 
The Shortest Way with Dissenters. It purported to be writ- 
ten in the interests of the would-be persecutors, and was at 
first hailed by them with applause. When they saw its true 
meaning and effect they were very much enraged. The pam- 
phlet proposed, with the utmost apparent soberness, that who- 
ever was found at 'a dissenters’ meeting “ should be banished 
the nation and the preacher be hanged.” Such extravagance 
reduced the whole argument to absurdity, and made the cruel 
zeal of the queen’s party public laughing-stock. 

The author’s name was soon known, and a state prosecu- 
tion was set on foot. In the London Gazette for January 10, 
1703, appeared the following advertisement : “ Whereas Daniel 
De Foe is charged with writing a scandalous and seditious 
pamphlet, entitled. The Shortest Way with the Dissenters. He 


INTRODUCTION 


XVll 


is a middle-sized, spare man, of a brown complexion, and dark 
brown hair, but wears a wig ; a hooked nose, a sharp chin, gray- 
eyes, and a large mole near his mouth ; was born in London ; 
is owner of the brick and pantile works near Tilbury: Who- 
ever shall discover the said Daniel De Foe to one of Her 
Majesty’s Secretaries of State, or justices of the peace so he 
may be apprehended, shall have a reward of £50, which Her 
Majesty has ordered immediately to be paid on such discovery.” 

On February 26 the offending book, by order of parliament, 
was burnt by the common hangman in New Palace Yard. The 
author was in safe hiding, but as vengeance would have been 
wreaked on the printer and bookseller, to save them, he gave 
himself up and was committed to prison. At his trial he 
pleaded guilty, the government having promised him protec- 
tion. This promise was violated. He was fined, condemned to 
stand three times in the pillory, to be further imprisoned, and 
to give sureties for good behavior for seven years. 

Twenty days after this sentence was pronounced, he was 
exposed in the public stocks. But meanwhile Defoe had writ- 
ten and had printed his Hymn to the Pillory^ and it had 
caught the popular fancy. Crowds came to see the man with 
his neck and wrists fast in the gaunt frame of the pillory, but 
they did not come to deride. The people formed a guard around 
him, crowned and garlanded him with flowers, it being summer- 
time, and sang his hymn in chorus around him, repeating with 
special fervor the lines : — 

“ Tell them the men who placed him here 
Are scandals to the times : 

Are at a loss to find his guilt, 

And earCt commit his crimes.” 

Defoe’s imprisonment lasted a year, and in that time his tile 
works failed. But immediately on his release his fertile genius 
and indomitable industry began to retrieve the lost fortune. In 


xviii INTRODUCTION 

the year 1709 he settled permanently on the outskirts of Lon- 
don city at Stoke Newington. He was again persecuted in 
1714, and in 1730, to escape the vengeance of an enemy high 
in government favor, he had to go into hiding ; but these inter- 
ruptions were comparatively unimportant. 

Defoe was living at Newington with his wife and six chil- , 
dren when he wrote Robinson Crusoe, and at the time it was 
published he was fifty-eight years of age. He wrote a number 
of other books afterward in the same general style. They were 
lives and adventures, memoirs and travels, each with an appear- 
ance of minute fidelity to facts — as if they were narrations of 
events that actually happened. These never pretended to be 
novels, and yet from them the modern novel has taken its rise. 
Heretofore there had been only romances and enchanted dames, 
or florid and clumsy stories of the loves of Arcadian shepherds 
and deserted princes, that were a tissue of affectation. Defoe 
opened a new field by painting men and manners as they were, 
by showing the folk of his own time exactly as he knew 
them. 

Aside from his books, he was a most prolific writer on current 
topics. From the time of the Monmouth Rebellion to the very 
end of his life, the stream of controversial essays of all lengths 
from his pen was unceasing. He commented on every impor- 
tant event. In tone these social and political wTitings of his 
were dignified and self-respecting. They never descended to 
the personal abuse that was indulged in by all his rivals. He 
was clear, logical, direct ; he upheld unflinchingly what he be- 
lieved to be the truth, and utterly disregarded danger. In 
what he wrote he was never a partisan. He labored along his 
own straight path, now crossing the crooked course of one party, 
now that of the other. His view of the politics of his time and 
of his own attitude toward them was summed up in this sen- 
tence in one of his last essays — “It has been the disaster of all 
parties of this nation to be very hot in their turn, and as often 


INTRODUCTION 


XIX 


as they have been so, I have differed from them all, and ever 
must and shall do so.” 

Defoe’s public life, as we have seen, was a troubled one. 
His home life had its bitter side, too, and his final days of feeble 
age and weakening health were sad and gloomy ones. His only 
son was ungrateful, and deserted and deceived him. “This in- 
justice and unkindness,” he writes to a friend in his last year, 
“has ruined my family and broken my heart.” He died in 
1731 at the age of seventy. 

Such was the life of Daniel Defoe, a true patriot who fought 
courageously the battle for the rights of people in his day, but 
who is now best remembered as the author of the ever delight- 
ful story of Robinson Crusoe’s lonely life on that tropical island 
at the mouth of the great river Orinoco. 




THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


OF 

ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER I 

Of my birth and education — My desire to go to sea — I go on board a 
snip bound for London — The ship is wrecked in a severe storm off 
Yarmouth and I barely escape with my life — I make my way by 
land from Yarmouth to London. 

I WAS bom ill the year 1632, in the city of York, my father 
being a foreigner, of Bremen, who settled at Hull. He 
got a good estate by merchandise, and leaving off his trade, 
lived afterward at York, whence he had married my mother, 
whose relations were named Robinson. I was called Robinson 
Kreutznaer ; but, by the usual corruption of words in England, 
we are now called, nay, we call ourselves, and write our name, 
Cmsoe. 

I had two elder brothers, one of whom was lieutenant- 
colonel of an English regiment in Flanders,® and was killed at the 
battle near Dunkirk against the Spaniards. What became of 
my second brother I never knew. 

Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any trade, 
my head began to be filled very early with rambling thoughts. 

1 


B 


2 


ADVENTURES OF 


My father had given me a competent share of learning and de- 
signed me for the law ; but I would be satisfied with nothing 
but going to sea. He called me one morning into his chamber, 
where he was confined by the gout, and expostulated very 
warmly with me upon this subject. And he pressed me earnestly, 
and in the most affectionate manner, not to precipitate myself into 
miseries which Nature, and the station of life I was born in, 
seemed to have provided against ; that I was under no neces- 
sity of seeking my bread, and he would do well for me. To 
close all, he told me I had my elder brother for an example, 
to whom he had used the same earnest persuasions to keep him 
from going into the wars, but could not prevail, his young de- 
sires prompting him to run into the army, where he was killed ; 
and though he said he would not cease to pray for me, yet he 
would venture to say that if I did take this foolish step, God 
would'not bless me. 

I was sincerely affected with this discourse, and I resolved 
not to think of going abroad any more, but to settle at home 
according to my father’s desire. But, alas ! a few days wore 
that all off. However, I did not act hastily, and I spoke to my 
mother at a time when I thought her a little more pleasant than 
ordinary, and told her that my thoughts were so entirely bent 
upon seeing the world that my father had better give me 
his consent than force me to go without it ; that I was now 
eighteen years old, and if I was to go apprentice to a trade, or 
clerk to an attorney, I was sure I should never serve out my 
time, but I should certainly run away from my master before 
my time was out, and go to sea ; and if she would speak to my 
father to let me go one voyage abroad, if I did not like it, I would 
go no more, and I would promise, by a double diligence, to re- 
cover the time that I had lost. 

This put my mother into a great passion. She told me 
it would be to no purpose to speak to my father upon any 
such subject ; that he knew too well what was for my interest 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


3 


to give his consent to anything so much for my hurt ; and that 
she wondered how I could think of any such thing, and that, 
if I would ruin myself, there was no help for me. 

It was not till almost a year after this that I broke loose. In 
the meantime, I continued obstinately deaf to all proposals of 
settling to business, and frequently expostulated with my father 
and mother about their being so positively determined against 
what they knew my inclinations prompted me to. But being 
one day at Hull, a companion who was going by sea to London 
in his father’s ship asked me to go with him. I consulted neither 
father nor mother, nor so much as sent them word ; but leaving 
them to hear as they might, on the 1st of September, 1651, I 
went on board the ship bound for London. Never any young 
adventurer’s misfortunes, I believe, began sooner than mine. 
The ship was scarcely out of the Humber,® than the wind 
began to blow, and the sea to rise in a most frightful manner ; 
and, as I had never been at sea before, I was inexpressibly 
sick in body and terrified in mind. I began now seriously to 
reflect upon what I had done, and how justly I was overtaken 
by the judgment of Heaven for leaving my father’s house, and 
abandoning my duty. 

The storm increased, and I expected every wave would swallow 
us up, and in this agony of mind I made many vows and reso- 
lutions, that if it would please God to spare my life in this one 
voyage, if ever I got my foot upon dry land, I would go directly 
home to my father, and never set it into a ship again while I 
lived ; that I would take his advice, and never run myself into 
such miseries any more. 

These wise and sober thoughts continued all the while the 
storm lasted, and indeed some time after. The next day the 
wind was abated and the sea calmer. However, I was very grave 
for all that day, being also a little seasick still ; but toward 
night the weather cleared up, the wind was quite over, and a 
charming, fine evening followed. The sun went down perfectly 


4 


ADVENTURES OF 


clear, and rose so the next morning. Having a smooth sea, 
the sun shining upon it, the sight was, as I thought, the most 
delightful that ever I saw. 

I had slept well in the night, and was no more sick, hut very- 
cheerful, looking with wonder upon the sea that was so rough 
and terrible two days before, and could be so calm and pleasant 
in so little a time after. And now, my companion, who had 
enticed me away, comes to me. 

“ Well, Bob,” says he, clapping me upon the shoulder, “ how 
do you do after the capful of wind we’ve had 1 ” 

“ A capful, do you call it ? ” said I. “ ’Twas a terrible storm.” 
“ A storm, you fool, you ! ” replies he ; “do you call that a 
storm 'I why, it was nothing at all. Give us a good ship and 
sea-room, and we think nothing of such a squall of wind as that. 
You’re but a fresh-water sailor. Bob. Come, let us make a 
bowl of punch. D’ye see what charming weather ’tis now? ” 
To make short this part of my story, we went' the way of all 
sailors ; the punch was made, and I drowned all my repent- 
ance and all my resolutions for the future. I found, indeed, 
the serious thoughts did endeavor to return sometimes ; but I 
shook them oft*, and roused myself from them as from a dis- 
temper, and applying myself to drinking and company, I had, 
in five or six days, got as complete a victory over my conscience 
as any young fellow that resolved not to be troubled with it 
could desire. But I was to have another trial for it still. 

The sixth day of our being at sea we came into Yarmouth 
Roads.® Here we lay, the wind being contrary, for seven or 
eight days, during which time a great many ships from New- 
castle came into the same Roads. The wind blew very hard. 
However, the Roads being reckoned as good as a harbor, our 
men were unconcerned, and not in the least apprehensive of 
danger, and spent the time in rest and mirth ; but the eighth 
day, in the morning, the wind increased, and we had all hands 
at work to make everything snug and close, that the ship might 


ROBINSON- CRUSOE 


5 


ride as easy as possible. By noon the waves went very high 
indeed, and we shipped several seas, and thought once or twice 
our anchor had come home. 

It now blew a terrible storm, and I began to see terror and 
amazement in the faces even of the seamen themselves. The 
master, though vigilant in the business of preserving the ship, 
yet as he went in and out of his cabin by me, I heard him 
softly say to himself, several times, “ Lord, be merciful to us ! 
We shall be all lost ! We shall be all undone ! ” and the like. 

During the first hurries I was lying in the steerage, but 
when the master came by me and said we should be all lost, 
I was dreadfully frighted. I got up and looked out. Such 
a dismal sight I had never beheld. The sea ran mountains 
high, and broke upon us every three or four minutes, and I 
could see nothing but distress among the other vessels. The 
light-laden ships fared the best ; but two or three of them 
drove, and came close by us, running before the wind. 

Toward evening the mate and boatswain begged the master 
of our ship to let them cut away the foremast. He consented ; 
and when they had cut away the foremast, the mainmast stood 
so loose, and shook the ship so much, they were obliged to cut 
that away also, and make a clear deck. But the worst was not 
come yet. The storm continued with such fury, that the seamen 
themselves acknowledged they had never encountered a worse. 
It was so violent that I saw, what is not often seen, the master, 
the boatswain, and some others at their prayers, and expecting 
every moment the ship would go to the bottom. In the middle 
of the night one of the men cried out we had sprung a leak. 
Another said, there was four feet of water in the hold. Then 
all hands were called to the pump. The men told me that I 
was as well able to pump as any one; at which I stirred up, 
and went to the pump, and worked very heartily. While this 
was doing, the master ordered a gun fired as a signal of dis- 
tress. I, who knew nothing what they meant, thought the 


6 


ADVENTURES OF 


ship had broken, or some dreadful thing happened, and I fell 
down in a swoon. As this was a time when everybody had his 
own life to think of, nobody minded me or what was become of 
me ; but another man stepped up to the pump, and thrusting 
me aside with his foot, let me lie, thinking I was dead; and 
it was a great while before I came to myself. 

We worked on ; but the water increased in the hold, so the 
master continued firing guns for help ; and a ship, just ahead, 
ventured a boat out to our relief. It was with the utmost 
hazard the boat came near us; but it was impossible for us 
to get on board, or for the boat to lie near the ship’s side, till 
at last the men rowing very heartily, and risking their lives 
to save ours, our men cast them a rope over the stern with a 
buoy to it, which they took hold of, and we hauled them close 
under our stern, and got all into their boat. It was to no 
purpose for them, after we were in the boat, to think of reach- 
ing their own ship ; so all agreed to let her drive, only to pull 
in toward shore as much as we could ; and partly rowing, and 
partly driving, our boat went away to the northward. 

We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of 
our ship till we saw her sink, and then I understood for the 
first time what was meant by a ship foundering in the sea. 

When our boat mounted the waves, we were able to see the 
shore and a great many people running along the strand, to 
assist us when we should come near. We made but slow way 
till, being past the lighthouse at Winterton, the land broke off 
a little the violence of the wind. Here we got all safe on shore, 
and walked on foot to Yarmouth, w^here, as unfortunate men, 
we were used with great humanity, and had money given us 
sufficient to carry us either to London or back to Hull, as we 
thought fit. 

Had I had the sense to have gone to Hull, and then home, I 
had been happy, and my father had even killed the fatted calf 
for me ; for hearing the ship I went away in was wrecked in 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


7 


Yarmouth Roads, it was a great while before he had any 
assurance that I was not drowned. My comrade, who had 
helped to harden me before, and who was the master’s son, was 
now less forward than I. The first time he spoke to me after 
we were at Yarmouth, which was not till two or three days, 
for we were separated in the town to several quarters, his 
tone was altered; and looking very melancholy, and shaking 
his head, he asked me how I did, and told his father who I 
was, and how I had come this voyage only for a trial, in order 
to go farther abroad. His father turning to me said with a 
very grave and concerned tone, “ Young man, you ought never 
to go to sea any more ; you ought to take this for a plain and 
visible token that you are not to be a sea-faring man.” 

“Why, sir,” said I, “will you go to sea no more?” 

“ That is another case,” said he; “ it is my calling, and there- 
fore my duty ; but as you made this voyage for a trial, you see 
5 what a taste Heaven has given you of what you are to expect 
i if you persist. Perhaps our disaster has befallen us on your 
I® account.” 

I told him some of my story; at the end of which he burst 
K out into a strange kind of passion : “What had I done,” says 
I he, “ that such an unhappy wretch should come into my ship ? 

I would not set my foot in the same ship with thee again for a 
S thousand pounds.” 

I We parted soon after, for I made him little answer, and I 
■ saw him no more. As for me, having some money in my 
pocket, I travelled to London by land. 

I 


8 


ADVENTURES OF 


CHAPTER II 

I fall in with the master of a ship about to sail for the coast of Guinea, 
and I make a prosperous voyage with him — I start on a second 
voyage to Guinea, but the ship is taken by pirates — At the Moorish 
port of Sallee I live a captive for two years — On escaping I cruise for 
many days southward along the African coast until I am taken up 
by a Portuguese trader bound for the Brazils. 

It was my lot to fall into company in London with the 
master of a ship who had been on the coast of Guinea ; and 
who, having had very good success there, was resolved to go 
again. Hearing me say I had a mind to see the world, he told 
me if I would go the voyage with him, I should be his mess- 
mate and his companion ; and if I could carry any merchandise 
with me, I should have all the advantage of it that the trade 
would admit. 

I embraced the offer ; and entering into a strict friendship 
with this captain, I went the voyage with him, and carried 
about £40 worth of such toys and trifles as he directed me to 
buy. This £40 I had mustered by the assistance of some of 
my relations whom I corresponded with, and who, I believe, got 
my father to contribute so much to my first venture. 

Under my friend the captain I got a competent knowledge of 
navigation, learned how to keep an account of the ship’s course, 
and take an observation, and this voyage made me both a 
sailor and a merchant. I brought home gold-dust which 
yielded me in London almost £300. 

I was now set up for a Guinea trader ; and my friend, to my 
great misfortune, dying, I resolved to go the voyage again, in the 
same vessel with one who was his mate in the former voyage, and 
had now got the command of the ship. I did not carry quite 
£100 of my new-gained wealth, so that I had £200 left which 
I had lodged with my friend’s widow. This voyage was very 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


9 


unfortunate, for while our ship was making her course between 
the Canary Islands and the African shore, we were surprised in 
the gray of the morning by a Moorish rover of Sallee, who 
gave chase to us with all the sail he could make. We crowded 
also as much canvas as our yards would spread, or our masts 
carry, but finding the pirate gained on us, we prepared to fight ; 
our ship having twelve guns, and the rogue eighteen. About 
three in the afternoon he came up with us, and bringing to, 
just athwart our quarter, we brought eight of our guns to bear 
and poured in a broadside upon him, which made him sheer 
off after returning our fire, and pouring in also his small- 
shot from nearly two hundred men he had on board. However, 
we had not a man touched. He prepared to attack us again, 
and we to defend ourselves ; but this time he entered sixty 
men upon our decks. We plied them with small-shot, half- 
pikes, and such like, and cleared our deck of them twice. 
However, at length, our ship being disabled, and three of our 
men killed, and eight wounded, we were obliged to yield, and 
were carried prisoners into Sallee, a port belonging to the Moors. 

The usage I had therje was not so dreadful as at first I 
apprehended ; nor was I carried up the country as the rest of 
our men were, but was kept by the captain of the rover and 
made his slave, being young and nimble, and fit for his business. 

As my new patron, or master, had taken me home to his 
house, I was in hopes that he would take me with him when 
he went to sea again, believing that it would some time or 
other be his fate to be captured by a Spanish or Portuguese 
man-of-war; and that then I should be set at liberty. But 
this hope of mine was soon taken away ; for when he went to 
sea, he left me on shore to look after his little garden, and do 
the common drudgery of slaves about his house. 

After about two years, my patron being at home longer than - 
usual without fitting out his ship, which, as I heard, was for 
want of money, he once or twice a week would take the ship’s 


10 


ADVENTURES OF 


pinnace, and go out fishing; and he always had me and a 
young Morisco° with him to row the boat. Sometimes he 
stayed at home himself and sent me with a Moor, one of his 
kinsmen, and the Morisco, to catch a dish of fish for him. 

One time, going fishing with him in a calm morning, a fog 
rose so thick, that though we were not half a league from the 
shore, we lost sight of it ; and rowing we knew not whither we 
labored all day, and all the next night ; and when the morning 
came, we found we had pulled out to sea, and were at least two 
leagues from the land. However, we got well in again, though 
with a great deal of labor, and some danger ; for the wind be- 
gan to blow pretty fresh in the morning. 

Our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take more 
care of himself for the future ; and he resolved he would not 
go fishing any more without some provisions. Having lying 
by him the long-boat of our English ship, he ordered the 
carpenter of his ship, who was an English slave, to build a 
little cabin, in the middle of the long-boat, with a place to 
stand behind it to steer and haul home the main-sheet ; and 
room before for a hand or two to stand and work the sails. 

She sailed with what we call a shoulder-of-mutton sail ; and 
the boom jibbed over the top of the cabin, which lay very 
snug and low, and had in it room for him to lie, with a slave 
or two, and a table to eat on, and lockers to put in some bottles 
of liquor and his bread, rice, and coffee. 

It one day happened that he appointed to go out in this boat, 
either for pleasure or for fish, with two or three Moors of some 
distinction, and had therefore sent on board the boat a larger 
store of provisions than usual ; and had ordered me to get 
ready three fusees® with powder and shot, which were on board 
his ship, for they designed some sport fowling as well as fishing. 

I got all things ready as he had directed ; and waited the 
next morning with the boat, when by and by my patron came 
on board alone, and told me his guests had put off going, and 


EOBINSO^^ CRUSOE 


11 


ordered me, with the man and boy, to go out with the boat 
and catch some fish, and that his friends were to sup at his 
house. 

This moment my former notions of deliverance darted into 
my thoughts, for now I found I was likely to have a little ship 
at my command ; and my master being gone, I prepared to 
furnish myself, not for fishing business, but for a voyage; 
though I knew not, neither did I so much as consider, whither 
I would steer. 

My first contrivance was to make a pretence to speak to the 
Moor, to get something for our subsistence on board ; for I told 
him we must not presume to eat our patron’s bread. 

He said that was true ; so he brought a large basket of rusk 
or biscuit, and three jars of fresh water, into the boat. I 
knew where my patron’s case of bottles stood, and I conveyed 
them into the boat while the Moor was on shore. I conveyed 
also a great lump of beeswax into the boat, which weighed 
about half a hundredweight, and a parcel of twine, a hatchet, 
a saw, and a hammer, all of which were of great use afterward. 
Another trick I tried upon the Moor w^as to tell him our 
patron’s guns were all on board the boat ; and ask if he could 
get a little powder and shot from the gunner’s stores in the 
ship. “ Perhaps we may kill some ducks,” said I. 

Accordingly, he brought a great leather pouch, which held 
about a pound and a half of powder, and another filled with 
shot, and some bullets, and put all into the boat. Thus fur- 
nished with everything needful, we sailed out of the port. We 
went about a mile and hauled in our sail, and sat down to fish. 
The wind blew from the northeast, which was contrary to my 
desire; for had it blo^vn southerly, I had been sure to have 
made the coast of Spain ; but my resolutions were, blow which 
way it would, I would be gone from that horrid place where I 
was, and leave the rest to fate. 

After we had fished some time and caught nothing, for when 


12 


ADVENTURES OF 


I had a fish on my hook I would not pull it up, I said to the 
Moor, “ This will not do. We must stand farther off.” 

He, thinking no harm, agreed, and, being in the head of the 
boat, set the eails ; and, as I had the helm, I ran the boat out 
nearly a league farther, and then brought her to as if I would 
fish ; when, giving the boy the helm, I stepped forward to 
where the Moor was, and making as if I stooped for something 
behind him, I took him by surprise, and tossed him clear over- 
board into the sea. 

He rose immediately, and swam so strong after the boat, 
that he would have reached me very quickly, there being but 
little wind ; upon which I stepped into the cabin, and fetching 
one of the fowling-pieces, I presented it at him and said, “You 
swim well, and the sea is calm ; make the best of your way to 
shore, and I will do you no harm ; but if you come near the 
boat, I’ll shoot you, for I am resolved to have my liberty.” 

So he turned himself about, and swam for the shore, and I 
make no doubt he reached it with ease. When he was gone, 
I spoke to the boy, who was called Xury, and said to him, 
“Xury, if you will be faithful to me, I’ll make you a great 
man ; but if you will not be true to me, I must throw you into 
the sea too.” 

The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently that I 
could not mistrust him, and he swore to be faithful to me and 
go all over the world with me. 

While I was in the view of the Moor that was swimming, I 
stood out directly to sea. But as soon as it grew dusk in the 
evening, I steered south, bending my course a little toward the 
east, that I might keep in with the shore ; and having a fair, 
fresh gale of wind, I made such sail that by the next day at 
three o’clock in the afternoon, when I first made the land, I 
could not have been less than one hundred and fifty miles south 
of Sallee ; quite beyond the Emperor of Morocco’s dominions. 
Yet such was the fright I had taken at the Moors, and the 


ROBINSOy CRUSOE 


13 


dreadful apprehensions I had of falling into their hands, that 
I would not stop, or go on shore, till I had sailed five days. 
Then, the wind shifting to the southward, I concluded that if 
any vessels were in chase of me, they would now give over. So 
I ventured to anchor in the mouth of a little river, I knew not 
what nor where. I neither saw, nor desired to see any people. 
The principal thing I wanted was fresh water. We came into 
this creek in the evening, resolving to swim to shore as soon as 
it was dark ; but when night came we heard such dreadful 
noises of the barking, roaring, and howling of wild creatures, 
that Xury was ready to die with fear, and begged me not to go 
on shore till day. 

“Well, Xury,” said I, “then I won’t; but we may see men 
by day, who will be as bad to us as those lions.” 

“Then we give them the shoot gun,” says Xury, laughing, 
“make them run way.” 

I was glad to see the boy so cheerful. After all, Xury’s 
advice was good, and we lay still all night. But we slept 
none ; for in two or three hours we saw vast great creatures 
of many sorts, come down to the seashore, and run into the 
water, wallowing and washing for the pleasure of cooliog them- 
selves, and making hideous bowlings and yellings. 

Xury was dreadfully frighted, and so was I, too ; but we 
were both more frighted when we heard one mighty creature 
come swimming toward our boat ; and we knew him by his 
blowing to be a huge and furious beast. Xury cried to me to 
pull up the anchor and row away. He had no sooner said so, 
but I perceived the creature, whatever it was, within two oars’ 
length. I immediately stepped to the cabin-door, and taking 
up my gun, fired at him; upon which he turned about, and 
swam toward the shore. 

It is impossible to describe the horrid noises, and hideous 
cries and bowlings that were raised, as well at the edge of the 
shore as higher within the country on the report of my gun, a 


14 


ADVENTURES OF 


thing I believe those creatures had never heard before. This 
convinced me that there was no going on shore for us in the 
night upon that coast ; and how to venture on shore in the day 
was another question ; for to have fallen into the hands of the 
savages had been as bad as to have fallen into the paws of lions 
and tigers. Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on 
shore somewhere or other for water, for we had not a pint left 
in the boat. The next morning Xury said, if I would let him 
go on shore with one of the jars, he would find water, and bring 
some to me. 

“Well, Xury,” said I, “we will both go;” and we hauled 
the boat in as near the land as we thought was proper, and 
waded on shore, carrying our guns and two jars for water. 

I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the com- 
ing of canoes with savages down the river ; but the boy, seeing 
a low place about a mile up the country, rambled to it, and by 
and by I saw him running toward me. I thought he was pur- 
sued by some savage, or frighted by some wild beast, and I 
ran to help him ; but when I came nearer I saw something 
hanging over his shoulders, which was a creature that he had 
shot, like a hare, but different in color. We were very glad 
‘of it, and it was good meat ; but the great joy Xury came 
with, was to tell me he had found water, and seen no wild mans. 

We found afterward that we need not take such pains to ' 
get water, for a little higher up the creek where we had 
anchored, the water was fresh when the tide was out. So 
we filled our jars, and feasted on the hare we had killed, and 
prepared to go on our way, having seen no human creature in 
that part of the country. 

By the best of my calculation, the place where I now was 
must be that country which lies waste and uninhabited, 
between the Emperor of Morocco’s dominions and the negroes, 
the negroes having abandoned it, and gone farther south for 
fear of the Moors; and the Moors not thinking it worth 


BOB INS ON CRUSOE 


15 


inhabiting, by reason of its barrenness ; and no doubt both for- 
saking it because of the prodigious number of tigers, lions, 
leopards, and other furious creatures which harbor there. 
Indeed, for nearly a hundred miles together upon this coast, 
we saw nothing but a waste uninhabited country by day, and 
heard nothing but bowlings and roarings of wild beasts by 
night. 

Several times I was obliged to land for fresh water. Once 
in particular, being early in the morning, we came to anchor 
under a little point of land, which was pretty high ; and Xury, 
whose eyes were more about him than mine were, calls softly 
to me, and tells me that we had best go farther off the shore. 
“ Look ! ” says he, “ yonder lies a dreadful monster on the side 
of that hillock, fast asleep.” 

I looked where he pointed, and saw a terrible great lion that 
lay near the shore, under the shade of a bank that hung a little 
over him. 

“Xury,” says I, “you shall go on shore and kill him.” 

Xury looked frighted and said, “ Me kill ? he eat me at one 
mouth ; ” one mouthful he meant. 

I said no more to the boy, but took our biggest gun and 
loaded it with a good charge of powder, and with two slugs, 
and laid it down. Then I loaded another gun with two bullets ; 
and the third I loaded with five smaller bullets. I took the 
best aim I could with the first gun to shoot the lion in the 
head, but he lay so that the slugs hit his leg instead. He 
started up, growling, but fell down; and then got up on three 
legs, and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard. I took 
up the second piece immediately, and though he began to move 
off, fired again. This time he dropped and lay struggling for life. 
Then Xury took the third gun in one hand, jumped into the 
water, and swam to shore with the other hand, and going close 
to the creature, put the muzzle of the piece to his ear, and shot 
him, which dispatched him quite. 


16 


ADVENTURES OF 


This was game to us, but no food ; and I was very sorry to 
lose three charges of powder and shot on a creature that was 
good for nothing to us. However, Xury said he would have 
some of him ; so he came on board, and asked me to give him 
the hatchet. 

“For what, Xury?” said I. 

“ Me cut off his head,” said he. 

However, Xury could not cut off his head, but he cut off a 
foot, and brought it with him, and it was a monstrous great one. 

I bethought myself that perhaps the skin might, one way or 
other, be of some value to us ; and I resolved to take it off 
if I could. So Xury and I went to work. We were at this 
task the whole day, but at last we got off the hide, and spread- 
ing it on the top of our cabin, the sun effectually dried it in two 
days’ time, and it afterward served me to lie upon. 

After this stop, we went on again to the southward, living 
very sparingly on our provisions, which began to abate very 
much. My design was to reach the Cape de Verd, where I 
was in hopes to meet with some European ship ; for I knew 
that all the ships from Europe which sailed either to the coast 
of Guinea or to Brazil, or to the East Indies, made this cape, 
or the Cape de Verd Islands. When I had sailed about ten days 
longer, I began to see that the land was inhabited ; and in two 
or three places, we saw people stand on the shore to look at us. 
We could also perceive they were quite black. I was once 
inclined to go on shore to them ; but Xury was my better coun- 
sellor, and said to me, “No go, no go.” 

However, I hauled in nearer that I might talk to them, and 
they ran along the shore by me a good way. I observed they 
had no weapons in their hands, except one man, who had a 
long slender stick, which Xury said was a lance. I talked with 
them by signs as well as I could ; and particularly made signs 
for something to eat. They beckoned to me to stop my boat, 
and they would fetch me some meat. Upon this, I lowered the 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


17 


top of my sail, and lay by, and two of them ran up into the 
country, and in less than half an hour came back, and brought 
with them two pieces of dried flesh and some corn. They were 
much afraid of us, for they brought this produce to the shore and 
laid it down, and went and stood a great way off till we fetched 
it on board. 

We had nothing to make them amends ; but an opportunity 
offered that very instant to oblige them wonderfully ; for while 
we were lying by the shore there came two mighty creatures, 
one pursuing the other with great fury from the mountains 
toward the sea. Whether they were in sport or in rage, we 
could not tell. We found the people terribly frighted, especially 
the women. However the two creatures did not offer to fall 
upon any of the negroes, but plunged into the sea, and swam 
about, as if they had come for diversion. At last one of them 
began to come nearer our boat than at first I expected. I lay 
ready for him with my gun and as soon as he came fairly within 
my reach, I shot him. Immediately he plunged up and down, 
and made to the shore ; but between the wound and the stran- 
gling of the water, he died just before he reached the land. 

It is impossible to express the astonishment of the negroes 
at the noise and fire of my gun. But when they saw the crea- 
ture dead, and sunk into the water, they took heart and by the 
help of a rope, which I slung round him, and gave the negroes 
to haul, they dragged him on shore. He was a most curious 
leopard, spotted and fine ; and the negroes held up their hands 
with wonder to think what it was I killed him with. 

The other creature, frighted with the gun, swam to the 
shore, and ran up directly to the mountains. 

I found the negroes were for eating the flesh of the creature I 
had shot, so I made signs to them that they might have it. 
With a sharpened piece of wood, they took off his skin much 
more readily than we would have done with a knife. They 
offered me some of the flesh. I declined, but made signs for 
c 


18 


ADVENTURES OF 


the skin, which they gave me very freely, and brought me a 
great deal more of their provisions. Then I made signs for 
some water, and held out one of my jars, turning it bottom 
upward, to show that it was empty, and that I wanted to 
have it filled. They called to some of their friends, and two 
women brought water' in a great vessel made of earth, and 
burnt as I suppose in the sun. This they set down for me, and 
I sent Xury on shore with my jars, and he filled them all three. 

I was now furnished with food and water ; and leaving my 
friendly negroes, I made forward for about eleven days more, 
till I saw the land run out a great length into the sea, at about 
the distance of four or five leagues before me. Doubling the 
point, I saw plainly islands to seaward. Then I concluded 
that this point was the Cape de Verd, and those islands the 
Cape de Verd Islands. However, they w'ere at a great dis- 
tance, and I could not tell what I had best do ; for if I should 
be taken with a fresh gale of wind, I might neither reach one 
nor other. 

In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stepped into the 
cabin, and sat me down, Xury having the helm ; when, on a 
sudden, the boy cried out, “ A ship with a sail ! ” and the fool- 
ish boy was frighted out of his wits, thinking it must needs be 
one of his master’s ships sent to pursue us. 

I jumped out of the cabin, and immediately saw that it was 
a Portuguese ship. But, when I observed the course she 
steered, I was soon convinced the ship’s people did not design 
to go any nearer the shore, and I stretched out to sea, resolving 
to speak with them if possible. 

With all the sail I could make, I found they would be gone 
before I could signal to them ; but after I had crowded to the 
utmost, and began to despair, they saw me by the help of 
their perspective glasses, and shortened sail to let me come up. 
I was encouraged with this, and in about three hours’ time I 
came up with them. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


19 


They asked me what I was, in Portuguese, and in Spanish, 
and in French, but I understood none of them. At last a Scotch 
sailor, who was on board, called to me ; and I answered him, 
and told him I was an Englishman, that had made my escape 
out of slavery from the Moors at Sallee. They then bade me 
come on board, and very kindly took me in, and all my goods. 

It was an inexpressible joy to me that I was delivered from 
such a miserable and almost hopeless condition as I was in ; 
and I immediately offered all I had to the captain of the ship, 
as a return for my deliverance ; but he generously told me he 
would take nothing from me, and that all I had should be de- 
livered safe to me, when I came to the Brazils. “For,” says 
he, “I have saved your life on no other terms than as I w'ould 
be glad to be saved myself. Besides, when I carry you to the 
Brazils, so great a way from your own country, if I should 
take from you what you have, you will be starved there. No, 
no, Seignor Inglese (Mr. Englishman), I will carry you thither 
in charity.” 

My boat was a very good one ; and he told me he would buy 
it for the ship’s use ; and asked me what I would have for it. 
I told him, he had been so generous to me in everything, that 
I could not make any price, but left it entirely to him : upon 
which, he told me he would give me eighty pieces of eight ° for 
it. He offered me also sixty pieces of eight for my boy Xury ; 
but I was very loath to sell the liberty of the poor boy, who 
had assisted me so faithfully in procuring my own. However, 
when I let the captain know my reason, he owmed it to be just, 
and offered me this medium, that he would give the boy an 
obligation to set him free in ten years, if he turned Christian. 
Upon this, and Xury saying he was willing to go to him, I let 
the captain have him. 

We had a very good voyage to the Brazils, and I arrived in 
All Saints Bay, in about twenty-two days, and what to do next 
with myself I was to consider. 


20 


ADVENTURES OF 


CHAPTER III 

I buy land in the Brazils and become a planter — In 1659, I begin a 
voyage to Africa after negroes — The ship is driven out of its course 
by storms and is wrecked on a strange coast — We launch the 
ship’s boat, but it is overturned and I alone reach the land alive 
— My first day on the island and my visit to the ship — I make 
a raft and carry much goods to shore — I continue to go to the 
ship nearly every day for some time and bring away all I can. 

The generous treatment of the captain, I can never enough 
remember. He would take nothing for my passage, gave me 
twenty ducats® for the leopard’s skin, and forty for the lion’s 
skin, which I had in my boat, and caused everything I had in 
the ship to be punctually delivered to me. What I was will- 
ing to sell, he bought of me : such as the case of bottles, two 
of my guns, and a piece of the lump of beeswax, for I had 
made candles of the rest. In a word, I received about two 
hundred and twenty pieces of eight for my cargo ; and with 
this I went on shore in the Brazils. 

I had not been long there, but being recommended to the 
house of a good, honest man, who had a plantation and a sugar- 
house, I lived with him some time, and acquainted myself 
with the manner of planting sugar-cane and making sugar ; and 
seeing how well the planters liyed, and how they got rich, I 
resolved I would turn planter among them. To this purpose 
I purchased as much land as my money would allow, and 
formed a plan for my settlement. 

I had a neighbor, a Portuguese, of Lisbon, in much such 
circumstances as I was, and we went on very sociably together, 
and formed a partnership. We planted rather for food than 
anything else, for about two years. However, we began to in- 
crease, and our land began to come into order ; so that the third 
year w^e planted some tobacco, and made each of us a large piece 
of ground ready for planting sugar-canes in the year to come ; 
but we both wanted help. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


21 


I was, in some degree, settled in my measures for carrying 
on the plantation, before my kind friend, the captain of the 
ship that took me up at sea, went back ; for the ship remained 
providing her lading, and preparing for the voyage, nearly 
three months. When I told him what money I had left behind 
me in London, he gave me this friendly and sincere advice : 
“ Seignor Inglese,” says he (for so he always called me), “ if 
you will give me letters, with orders to the person who has 
your money, to send your effects to Lisbon, in such goods as are 
proper for this country, I will bring them, God willing, at my 
return ; but, since human affairs are all subject to changes and 
disasters, I would have you give orders but for one hundred 
pounds, which, you say, is half your stock ; so that, if it mis- 
carry, you may have the other half to have recourse to for 
your supply.” 

This was so wholesome advice that I could not but be con- 
vinced it was the best course I could take. I accordingly wrote 
the English captain’s widow a full account of all my adventures, 
my slavery, escape, and how I had met with the Portuguese cap- 
tain at sea, and what condition I was now in ; and when this 
honest captain came to Lisbon, he found means to send over the 
order and a full account of my story to a merchant in Loudon, 
who represented it effectually to her j whereupon she not only 
delivered the money, but out of her own pocket sent the Portu- 
guese captain a handsome present for his humanity and char- 
ity to me. 

This merchant in London invested my hundred pounds in 
English goods, such as the captain had written for, sent them 
directly to him at Lisbon, and he brought them all safe to me 
to the Brazils ; among which he had taken care to have all 
sorts of tools, iron work, and utensils necessary for my planta- 
tion, and which were of great use to me. 

When this cargo arrived, I thought my fortune made ; and 
my good steward the captain had laid out the five pounds. 


22 


ADVENTURES OF 


which my friend had sent him for himself, to purchase and 
bring me over a servant, under bond for six years’ service, and 
would not accept of any consideration, except a little tobacco 
of my own producing. 

My goods being all particularly valuable and desirable in 
the country, I found means to sell them at a very great advan- 
tage ; so that I had more than four times the value of my first 
cargo, and I bought me a negro slave, and a European servant 
also — I mean another besides that which the captain brought 
me from Lisbon. 

I lived almost four years in the Brazils, and learned the lan- 
guage, and contracted friendship among my fellow-planters, and 
among the merchants at St. Salvadore, which was our port. I 
had frequently given them an account of my two voyages to the 
coast of Guinea, the manner of trading there, and how easy it 
was to purchase for trifles, such as beads, toys, knives, scissors, 
hatchets, bits of glass, and the like, not only gold-dust, ele- 
phants’ tusks, etc., but negroes. They listened always very at- 
tentively to my discourses, especially to that part which related 
to the buying negroes ; which was a trade, at that time, not far 
entered into, so that negroes were excessively dear. 

It happened, being in company one day with some merchants 
and planters of my acquaintance, and talking of those things, 
three of them came to me the next morning, and told me they 
had been musing very much upon what I had discoursed, and 
they had a mind to fit out a ship to go to Guinea ; that they 
were straitened for nothing so much as servants ; and if I 
would go in the ship, to manage the trading part, I should have 
my equal share of the negroes, without providing any part of 
the stock. 

This was a fair proposal, it must be confessed, had it been 
made to any one that had not a plantation of his own to look 
after, which was in a fair way of coming to be very considerable. 
But for me, that was thus established, to think of such a voy- 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


23 


age was the most preposterous thing that ever man in such cir- 
cumstances could be guilty of. But I told them I would go, if 
they would undertake to look after my plantation in my absence. 
This they engaged to do. 

The ship being fitted out, and the cargo furnished, and all 
things done as by agreement by my partners in the voyage, I 
went on board the 1st of September, 1659, being exactly eight 
years since I went from my father and mother at Hull. Our 
ship was about one hundred and twenty tons burden, carried 
six guns, and fourteen men, including the master, his boy, and 
myself. 

The same day I went on board we set sail, standing away to 
the northward,® with design to stretch over for the African coast 
when we came to about ten or twelve degrees of northern lati- 
tude ; which was the manner of the course in those days. We 
had very good weather, only excessively hot, all the way upon 
our own coast, till we came to Cape St. Augustin o. Then 
keeping farther off at sea, we lost sight of land, holding our 
course northeast. In this course we were in seven degrees 
twenty-two minutes northern latitude, when a violent hurricane 
took us quite out of our knowledge. It began from the south- 
east, came about to the northwest, and then settled into the 
northeast ; whence it blew in such a terrible manner, that for 
twelve days together we could do nothing but drive, and, scud- 
ding away before it, let it carry us wherever fate and the fury 
of the winds directed ; and during these twelve days, I expected 
every day to be swallowed up ; nor did any in the ship expect 
to save their lives. 

Besides the terror of the storm, one of our men died of fever, 
and a man and the boy were washed overboard. About the 
twelfth day, the weather abating a little, the master made 
an observation as well as he could, and found that he was in 
eleven degrees of north latitude, but that he was twenty-two 
degrees of longitude west from Cape St. Augustino ; so that he 


24 


ADVENTURES OF 


was on the north part of Brazil, toward the river Oroonoko. 
The ship was leaky, and very much disabled, and looking over 
the charts of the seacoast of America, we concluded there was 
no inhabited country for us to have recourse to till we came 
within the circle of the Caribbee Islands.® Therefore we re- 
solved to stand away for Barbadoes ; w'hich we might easily 
reach, as we hoped, in about fifteen days’ sail ; whereas we could 
not possibly make our voyage to the coast of Africa without 
some assistance both to our ship and to ourselves. 

With this design we changed our course, and steered away 
northwest ; but a second storm came upon us, which carried 
us westward, and drove us out of the way of all human com- 
merce. 

In this distress, the wind still blowing very hard, one of our 
men early one morning cried out, “ Land ! ” and we had no 
sooner run out of the cabin to look than the ship struck 
on the sand. The sea broke over her in such a manner that 
we expected we should all perish immediately, and were 
driven into our close quarters, to shelter us from the foam and 
spray. 

It is not easy for any one who has not been in the like con- 
dition to conceive the consternation of men in such circumstances. 
We sat expecting death every moment, and each man acting 
accordingly, as preparing for another world ; for there was little 
or nothing more for us to do in this. That which was our 
present comfort, and all the comfort we had, was that, contrary 
to our expectation, the ship did not break yet. 

We had a boat at our stern just before the storm, but she 
was staved by dashing against the ship’s rudder. We had an- 
other boat on board, but how to get her off into the sea was a 
doubtful thing. However, we fancied the ship would break in 
pieces every minute, and the mate of our vessel laid hold of the 
boat, and with the help of the rest of the men, got her flung 
over the ship’s side ; and getting all into her, we let go, and 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


25 


committed ourselves, being eleven in number, to God’s mercy 
and the wild sea. 

We worked at the oars toward the land, though with heavy 
hearts, like men going to execution. What the shore was, 
whether rock or sand, whether steep or shoal, we knew not. 
The only hope that could rationally give us the least shadow of 
expectation was, if we might happen into some bay, or the mouth 
of some river, we could get under the lee of the land, and per- 
haps make smooth water. But there was nothing of this 
appeared. 

After we had rowed, or rather driven, about a league and a 
half, as we reckoned, a raging wave, mountain-like, came rolling 
astern of us, and took us with such a fury that it overset the 
boat ; and we were all swallowed up in a moment. 

Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which I felt, 
when I sank into the water ; for though I swam very well, yet 
I could not deliver myself from the water so as to draw breath, 
till the wave having carried me a vast way toward the shore, 
and having spent itself, went back, and left me on land almost 
dry, but half dead with the water I took in. I had so much 
presence of mind, as well as breath left, that seeing myself 
nearer the mainland than I expected, I got on my feet, and 
made on toward it as fast as I could, before another wave 
should return ; but I soon saw the sea come after me as high 
as a great hill. My business was to hold my breath, and by 
swimming to pilot myself toward the shore if possible, my 
greatest concern now being, that the wave, as it would carry 
me toward the shore when it came on, might not carry me 
with it when it gave back toward the sea. 

The wave that came upon me buried me at once twenty or 
thirty feet deep in its own body, and I could feel myself carried 
with a mighty force and swiftness toward the shore. I was 
ready to burst with holding my breath, when I found my^ head 
and hands shoot out above the surface of the water ; and though 


26 


ADVENTURES OF 


it was not two seconds of time that I could keep myself so, yet 
it relieved me greatly, and gave me breath and new courage. 

I was covered again with water a good while, but not so long 
but I held out ; and finding the Avater had spent itself, I struck 
forward against its return, and felt ground again with my feet. 

I stood still a few moments to recover breath, and till the w^aters 
went from me, and then took to my heels, and ran with what 
strength I had, farther toward the shore. But neither would 
this deliver me from the fury of the sea, which came pouring 
in after me again ; and twdce more I was lifted by the waves* 
and carried forward as before, the shore being very flat. 

The last time of these two had well-nigh been fatal to me ; 
for the sea having hurried me along, dashed me against a 
rock with such force it left me senseless, and indeed helpless, as 
to my own deliverance ; for the blow taking my side and breast, 
beat the breath quite out of my body. But I recovered a 
little before the return of the waves, and seeing I should be 
covered again with water, I resolved to hold fast by a piece of 
the rock, and as the waves were not so high as at first, being 
nearer land, I held my hold till the wave abated, and then 
fetched another run, which brought me so near the shore, that 
the next wave, though it went over me, yet did not so swallow 
me up as to carry me away ; and the next run I took, I got to 
the mainland ; where, to my great comfort, I clambered up the 
cliffs of the shore, and sat down on the grass, free from danger, 
and quite out of the reach of the water. 

I was now landed, and began to look up and thank God 
that my life was saved, in a case wherein there was some 
minutes before scarce any room to hope. I walked about on 
the shore, wrapt up in the contemplation of my deliverance, 
and reflecting on' all my comrades that were drowned. I never 
saw them afterward, or any sign of them, except three of their 
hats, one cap, and two shoes that were not fellows. 

After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable part of 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


27 


my condition, I looked round me, to see what kind of place I 
was in, and what was next to be done : and I soon found I had 
a dreadful deliverance : for I was wet, had no clothes to shift 
me, nor anything either to eat or drink ; neither did I see any 
prospect but that of perishing with hunger, or being devoured 
by wild beasts. I had no weapon to hunt and kill any creature 
for my sustenance, or to defend myself against any creatures 
that might desire to kill me for theirs. I had nothing about 
me but a knife and a little tobacco in a box. This was all 
my provision ; and this threw me into terrible agonies of mind, 
that for a while I ran about like a madman. Night coming 
on, I began, with a heavy heart, to consider what v/ould be my 
lot if there were any ravenous beasts in that country, seeing at 
night they always come abroad for their prey. 

All the remedy that offered to my thoughts was to get up 
into a thick, bushy tree, which grew near me, where I resolved 
to sit all night. I walked about a furlong from the shore, to 
see if I could find any fresh water to drink, which I did, to my 
great joy ; and having drunk, and put a little tobacco in my 
mouth to prevent hunger, I went to the tree, and getting up 
into it, endeavored to place myself so that I might not fall. 
I cut a short stick for my defence, and being excessively 
fatigued, I fell fast asleep, and slept as comfortably as, I believe, 
few could have done in my condition. 

When I waked it was broad day, the weather clear, and the 
storm abated, so that the sea did not rage and swell as before ; 
but that which surprised me most was, that the ship was 
lifted off by the tide from the sand where she had struck and 
was driven up almost as far as the rock where I had been so 
bruised by dashing against it. This being within about a mile 
from the shore, and the ship seeming to stand upriglit still, I 
wished myself on board, that I might save some necessary 
things for my use. 

I came down from the tree, and looked about me again, and 


28 


ADVENTURES OF 


the first thing I noticed was the boat, which lay, as the wind 
and sea had tossed her upon the land, about two miles on 
my right hand. I walked as far as I could on the shore to 
get to her ; but found between me and the boat an inlet of 
water which was about half a mile broad. So I came back for 
the present, being more intent upon getting at the ship, w^here 
I hoped to find something for my subsistence. 

A little after noon I found the sea very calm, and the tide 
ebbed so far out, that I could go within a quarter of a mile 
of the ship. And here I found a fresh renewing of my grief ; 
for I saw evidently that, if we had kept on board, we had been 
all safe ; that is to say, we had all got safe on shore, and I had 
not been so miserable as to be left entirely destitute of all 
comfort and company, as I now was. This forced tears to my 
eyes. To get to the ship I pulled off the heaviest of my 
clothes, and took to the water. But when I came to the ship, 
my difficulty was to know how to get on board ; for she lay 
aground, and high out of the water. I swam round her twice, 
and the second time I espied a piece of rope, which I wondered 
I did not see at first, hanging down by the fore-chains. With 
great difficulty I got hold of it, and by the help of that rope 
climbed up into the forecastle. • I found that the ship had a 
great deal of water in her hold ; but that she lay so on the 
side of a bank of hard sand, that her stern was lifted up on the 
bank, and her head low, almost to the water. By this means 
all her after-part was dry, and 1 found that all the ship’s pro- 
visions were untouched by the water. I went to the bread- 
room, and filled my pockets with biscuit, and ate it as I went 
about, for I had no time to lose. Now I wanted nothing but a 
boat, to furnish myself with many things which I foresaw 
would be very necessary to me. 

It was in vain to sit still and wish for what was not to be 
had ; and this extremity roused my application. We had 
several spare yards and a spare topmast or two in the ship. I 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


29 


resolved to fall to work with them, and I flung as many of 
them overboard as I coidd manage for their weight, tying every 
one with a rope, that they might not drive away. When this 
was done, I went down the ship’s side, and pulling them to me, 
I tied four of them together at both ends, in the form of a raft, 
and laying two or three short pieces of plank on them, cross- 
ways, I found I could walk on it very well, but that it was not 
able to bear any great weight, the pieces being too light. So with 
the carpenter’s saw I cut a spare topmast into three lengths, and 
added them to my raft, with a great deal of labor and pains. 

My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable 
weight. My next care was what to load it with, and how to 
preserve what I laid on it from the surf of the sea. I first 
laid all the planks or boards on it that I could get, and having 
considered well what I most wanted, I got three of the seamen’s 
chests, which I had broken open and emptied, and lowered 
them down on my raft. The first of these I filled with bread, 
rice, three Dutch cheeses, and five pieces of dried goat’s flesh 
which we lived much upon. As for liquors, I found several 
cases of bottles belonging to our skipper. These I stowed by 
themselves. While I was doing this, I found the tide began to 
flow, though very calm ; and I had the mortification to see my 
coat, shirt, and waistcoat, which I had left on shore upon the 
sand, float away. As for my breeches, which were only linen, 
and open-kneed, I swam on board in them. This put me rum- 
maging for clothes, of which I found enough, but took no more 
than I wanted for present use, for I had other things which my 
eye was more upon. After long searching I found the carpen- 
ter’s chest, which was a very useful prize to me, and much 
more valuable than a ship-lading of gold would have been at 
that time. I got it down to my raft, whole as it was, without 
losing time to look into it, for I knew in general what it con- 
tained. 

My next care was for some ammunition and arms. There 


30 


ADVENTURES OF 


were two very good fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two 
pistols. These I secured, with some powder-horns, a small 
bag of shot, and two old rusty swords. With much search I 
found three barrels of gunpowder. One of them had taken 
water, but the other two were dry and good, and I got them 
to my raft, with the arms. Now I thought myself pretty w^ell 
freighted, and’ began to think how I should get to shore. 

I had three encouragements : first, a smooth sea ; secondly, 
the tide rising, and setting in to the shore ; thirdly, what little 
wind there was blew me toward the land. Having found some 
broken oars belonging to the boat, with this cargo I put to sea. 
My raft went very well, only that it drove a little distant from 
the place where I had landed before; by which I perceived 
there was some indraft of the water, and I guided my raft as 
well as I could, to keep in the middle of the stream. 

But here I had like to have suffered a second shipwreck, 
which, if I had, I think verily would have broken my heart. 
My raft ran aground at one end on a shoal, and not being 
aground at the other end, it wanted but a little that all my 
cargo had slipped off into the water. I did my utmost, by 
setting my back against the chests, to keep them in their 
places ; neither durst I stir from the posture I was in till the 
rising of the water brought the raft more on a level. Then I 
thrust off into the channel, and soon found myself in the mouth 
of a little river, with a strong tide running up. I looked on 
both sides 'for a proper place to get to shore, for I w^as not 
willing to be driven too high up the river ; hoping in time to 
see some ship at sea, and therefore resolved to place myself as 
near the coast as I could. 

At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the 
creek, to which I guided my raft, and got so near that, reach- 
ing ground with my oar, I could thrust the raft directly in. 
But there was no place to land, except where one end of my fioat, 
if it ran on shore, would lie so high that it would endanger my 


EOBmSON CRUSOE 


31 


cargo. All that I could do was to wait till the tide was at the 
highest, keeping the raft fast to the shore, near a flat piece of 
ground, which I expected the water would flow over ; and so 
it did. As soon as I found water enough, I thrust the raft on 
that flat piece of ground, and moored her, by sticking my two 
broken oars into the ground — one. on one side, near one end, 
and one on the other side, near the other end. Thus 1 lay till 
the water ebbed away and left my raft and all my cargo safe 
on shore. 

Where I was I yet knew not ; whether on the continent or an 
island ; whether it was inhabited or not inhabited ; whether I 
was in danger of wild beasts or not. There was a hill a mile 
from me, which rose very steep and high. I took out one of 
the fowling-pieces, and one of the pistols, and a horn of powder ; 
and thus armed, I travelled for discovery up to the top of that 
hill, where I saw my fate. I was in an island, and no land 
was to be seen except some rocks a great way off, and two 
small islands which lay about three leagues to the west.® 

The island I was in was apparently uninhabited, except by 
wild beasts. I saw abundance of fowls, but knew not their 
kinds ; neither could I tell which was fit for food, and which 
not. At my coming back, I shot a great bird, which I saw 
sitting on a tree. I believe it was the first gun that had been 
heard there since the creation of the world. I had no sooner 
fired, but from all the parts of the wood there arose an innu- 
merable number of fowls of many sorts, making a confused 
screaming and crying. As for the creature I killed, its flesh 
was carrion, and fit for nothing. 

I came back to my raft, and fell to work to bring my cargo 
on shore, which took the rest of the day. What to do with 
myself at night I knew not, nor indeed where to rest. How- 
ever, as well as I could, I barricaded myself round with the 
chests and boards that I had brought on shore, and made a 
kind of hut for that night’s lodging. 


32 


ADVENTURES OF 


I now began to consider that I might yet get a great many 
tilings out of the ship, which would be useful to me, and par- 
ticularly some of the rigging and sails, and I resolved to make 
another voyage to the vessel, as I knew that the first storm 
that blew must necessarily break her all in pieces. To take 
back the raft appeared impracticable : so I swam as before, 
having nothing on but a checkered shirt and a pair of linen 
drawers. 

I got on board the ship and prepared a second raft. In the 
carpenter’s stores I found two or three bags full of nails and 
spikes, a great screw-jack, a dozen or two of hatchets, and that 
most useful thing called a grindstone. All these I secured, 
together with two or three iron crows,® and two barrels of 
musket bullets, seven muskets, and another fowling-piece, with 
some small quantity of powder, a large bagful of small shot, and 
a great roll of sheet lead ; but this last was so heavy I could 
not hoist it up to get it over the ship’s sides. Besides, I took 
all the men’s clothes "that I could find, and a spare fore-topsail, 
a hammock, and some bedding ; and brought them all safe to 
the shore. 

I was under some apprehension, during my absence from the 
land, that my provisions might be devoured on shore ; but when 
I came back, I found no sign of any visitor ; only there sat a 
creature like a wildcat on one of the chests, which when I went 
toward it, ran away a little distance, and then stood still. She 
sat very composed and looked full in my face, as if she had a 
mind to be acquainted with me. I presented my gun at her, 
but, as she did not understand it, she was perfectly unconcerned, 
nor did she offer to stir; upon which I tossed her a bit of 
biscuit. She went to it, smelled at it, and ate it, and looked 
for more ; but I could spare no more. So she marched off. 

Having got my second cargo on shore, I went to work to 
make a little tent, with the sail, and some poles which I cut 
for that purpose ; and into this tent I brought everything that 


EOBINSON CRUSOE 


33 


I knew would spoil either with rain or sun ; and I piled all the 
empty chests and casks up in a circle round the tent, to fortify 
it from any sudden attempt, either from man or beast. When 
I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent with some 
boards ; and spreading one of the beds on the ground, laying 
my two pistols just at my head, and my gun at length by me, 
I slept quietly all night, for I was very weary. 

I had the biggest magazine of all kinds now that ever was 
laid up, I believe, for one man ; but still I was not satisfied, for 
while the ship sat upright I thought I ought to get everything 
out of her that I could. So every day, at low water, I went 
on board. I brought away much of the rigging, the small ropes 
and rope-twine, and the barrel of wet gunpowder. Last of all, 
after I had made five or six voyages, and thought I had nothing 
more to expect from the ship that was worth my meddling with, 
I found a great hogshead of bread, a box of sugar, and a barrel 
of fine flour. This was surprising to me, because I had given 
over expecting any more provisions except what was spoiled by 
the water. I soon emptied the hogshead of bread, and wrapped 
it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails ; and I got all this 
safe on shore also. 

The next day I made another voyage, and plundered the 
ship of two cables and a hawser and considerable ironwork ; 
and having cut down the spritsail-yard and the mizzen-yard, and 
everything I could to make a large raft, I loaded it with all those 
heavy goods and came away. But this raft was so unwieldy, 
and so overladen, that after I had entered the little cove, where 
I had landed the rest of my goods, not being able to guide it 
handily, it overset, and threw me and all my cargo into the 
water. As for myself, it was no great harm, for I was near 
the shore; but my cargo was great part lost, especially the 
iron, which I expected would have been of great use to me. 
However, when the tide was out, I got most of the pieces of 
cable ashore, and some of the iron, though with infinite labor j 


34 


ADVENTURES OF 


for I was compelled to dive for it into the water, a work which 
fatigued me very much. 

I believe, had the calm weather held, I would have brought 
away the whole ship, piece by piece. The twelfth time I went 
on board, though I had rummaged the cabin very effectually, 
yet I discovered a locker with drawers in it, in one of which I 
found two or three razors, and one pair of large scissors, with 
ten or a dozen good knives and forks. In another drawer I 
found about thirty-six pounds’ value in money — some gold, 
and some silver. I smiled to myself at the sight of this money. 
“Oh, drug ! ” said I aloud, “ what art thou good for? One of 
those knives is worth all this heap ; I have no manner of use 
for thee. E’en remain where thou art, and go to the bottom, 
as a creature whose life is not worth saving.” 

However, on second thoughts, I took it away. I began to 
think of making another raft ; but while I was preparing it, I 
found the sky overcast, and the wind began to rise, and in 
a quarter of an hour blew a fresh gale from the shore. It 
presently occurred to me that it was in vain to make a raft 
with the wind offshore ; and that it was my business to be gone 
before the tide of flood, otherwise I might not be able to reach 
the shore at all. Accordingly, I let myself down into the 
water, and swam across the channel which lay between the 
ship and the sands, and even that with difficulty enough, partly 
with the weight of the things I had about me, and partly from 
the roughness of the water ; for the wind rose very hastily, and 
it blew hard all that night. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


35 


CHAPTER IV 

I seek a place where I can make my dwelling — Having pitched my tent 
and fortified it, I dig a cave — A thunderstorm frights me with the 
thought that the lightning might explode all my powder — I sepa- 
rate the powder into small parcels and bestow it in a number of 
different places — Of how I killed goats for my food, and of how I 
kept a reckoning of time by cutting notches on a post. 

My thoughts were now employed about securing myself 
against savages, if any should appear, or wild beasts, if any 
were in the island ; and I had many thoughts of the method 
how to do this, and what kind of dwelling to make — whether 
I should make me a cave in the earth, or a tent on the earth. 
The place I was in was not fit for my settlement, because it 
was on low ground near the sea, and I believed would not be 
wholesome. I consulted several things : first, health and fresh 
water; secondly, shelter from the heat of the sun; thirdly, 
security from ravenous creatures, whether man or beast ; 
fourthly, a view to the sea, that if God sent a ship in sight, 
I might not lose any advantage for my deliverance. In search 
of a proper place, I found a little plain on the side of a rising 
hill. The front of the hill toward this little plain was of rock 
as steep as a house-side, so that nothing could come down on 
me from the top. On the side of the rock there was a hollow 
place, worn a little way in, like the entrance of a cave ; but 
there was not really any cave at all. 

On the flat of the green, just below the hollow place, I re- 
solved to pitch my tent. This plain was not more than a hun- 
dred yards broad, and about twice as long, and descended 
irregularly every way down into the low ground by the sea. 
It was on the northwest side of the hill ; so that it was shel- 
tered from the heat every day, till the sun -was near the setting. 

Before I pitched my tent,° I drew a half-circle before the hol- 
low place, which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter 


36 


ADVENTURES OF 


from the rock. In this half-circle I set two rows of strong 
stakes, driving them into the ground till they stood very firm 
like piles, the biggest end being out of the ground above five 
feet and a half, and sharpened on the top. The two rows did not 
stand more than six inches from one another. 

Then I took pieces of cable which I had brought from the 
ship, and laid them in rows, upon one another, between the 
two rows of stakes, up to the top, placing other stakes inside, 
leaning against them, about two feet and a half high, like a 
spur to a post ; and the fence was so strong that neither man 
nor beast could get through it or over it. This cost me a great 
deal of time and labor, especially to cut the piles in the woods, 
bring them to the place, and drive them into the earth. 

The entrance I made to be, not by a door, but by a short 
ladder to go over the top. When I was in, I lifted the ladder 
over after me ; and so I was completely fenced in and fortified, 
as I thought, from all the world, and consequently slept secure 
in the night, which otherwise I could not have done. 

Inside this fence, or fortress, I carried all my provisions, am- 
munition, and stores; and I made a large tent also, to pre- 
serve me from the rains, that in one part of the year are very 
violent there. I made it double — one smaller tent within, and 
one larger tent above it ; and now I lay no more for a while in 
the bed which I had brought on shore, but in a hammock, 
which was indeed a very good one, and belonged to the mate 
of the ship. 

In the tent I stowed my provisions, and everything that 
would spoil by the wet ; and having thus enclosed all my goods, 
I closed the entrance, which till now I had left open, and 
passed and repassed, as I said, by a short ladder. 

When I had done this, I began to work my way into the 
rock, and bringing all the earth and stones that I dug, out 
through my tent, 1 laid them up within my fence, in the nature 
of a terrace, that raised the ground within about a foot and a 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


37 


half. Thus I made me a cave, just behind my tent, which 
served me like a cellar to my house. 

It cost me much labor and many days before all these things 
were brought to perfection ; and therefore I must go back to 
other things which took up some of my thoughts. After I 
had laid my scheme for the setting up the tent, and making 
the cave, a storm of rain fell from a thick, dark cloud, and 
there was a sudden flash of lightning, and after that, a great 
clap of thunder. I was not so much surprised with the light- 
ning, as I was with the thought which darted into my mind 
as swift as the lightning itself. “ Oh, my powder ! ” 

My very heart sank within me, when I thought that, at one 
blast, all my powder might be destroyed. I was nothing near 
so anxious about my own danger; though, had the powder 
taken fire, I had never known what had hurt me. 

Such impression did this make that, after the storm was over, 
I laid aside all my building and fortifying, and applied myself 
to make bags and boxes to separate my powder, and to keep it 
a little in a parcel, that whatever happened it might not all 
take fire at once ; and to keep it so apart that it should not be 
possible to make one part fire another. I finished this work in 
about a fortnight ; and I think my powder, which in all was about 
one hundred and forty pounds’ weight, was divided into no less 
than a hundred parcels. As to the barrel that had been wet, 
I did not apprehend any danger from that. So I placed it in 
my new cave, which I called my kitchen ; and the rest I hid 
up and down in holes among the rocks, so that no wet might 
come to it, marking very carefully where I had laid it. 

In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out at 
least once every day with my gun, as well to divert myself, as 
to see if I could kill anything fit for food, and to acquaint 
myself with what the island produced. The first time I went 
out, I discovered there were goats in the island, which was a 
great satisfaction to me ; but they were so shy, and so swift of 


38 


ADVENTURES OF 


foot, that it was the most difficult thing in the world to come 
at them ; but I w’as not discouraged, not doubting that I 
might now and then shoot one, as it soon happened. 

The first shot I made among these creatures I killed a she- 
goat, which had a little kid by her. When the old one fell, 
the kid stood stock still by her, till I came and took her up ; 
and when I carried the old one off on my shoulders, the kid 
followed me quite to my enclosure. I laid down the dam, and 
took the kid in my arms, and carried it over my pale, in hopes 
to breed it up tame ; but it would not eat. So I was forced to 
kill it and eat it myself. These two supplied me with fiesh a 
great while, for I ate sparingly, and saved my provisions, my 
bread especially, as much as I possibly could. 

As I was not cast away without being driven by a violent storm 
a great way out of the ordinary course of the trade of mankind, 
I had reason to consider it as a determination of Heaven that 
in this desolate place I should end my life. The tears would 
run plentifully down my face when I made these reflections. 

It was the 30th of September when I first set foot upon 
this horrid island. After I had been there ten or twelve days, 
it came into my thoughts that I should lose my reckoning of time, 
and should even forget the Sabbath-day. To prevent this, I 
cut a large post, and making it into a great cross, I set it up 
on the shore where I first landed. Upon this post I cut every 
day a notch with my knife, and every seventh notch was as 
long again as the rest, and every first day of the month as 
long again as that long one ; and thus I kept my calendar. 

Among the many things I brought from the ship in the 
several voyages I made to it, I got several things I omitted 
setting down before ; as, in particular, pens, ink, and paper, 
three or four compasses, some mathematical instruments, per- 
spectives, charts, and books of navigation. Also I found three 
very good Bibles and several other books ; all which I care- 
fully secured. And I must not forget that we had in the 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


39 


ship a dog and two cats. I carried both cats to land ; and 
the dog jumped out of the ship of himself and swam on shore 
to me the day after I went on shore with my first cargo, and 
was a trusty servant to me many years. I wanted numer- 
ous things, notwithstanding all that I had amassed ; such as a 
spade, pick-axe, and shovel, to dig or remove the earth ; needles, 
pins, and thread. This want of tools made work go on 
heavily ; and it was nearly a whole year before I had entirely 
finished my surrounded habitation. The piles or stakes, which 
were as heavy as I could w'ell lift, were a long time in cutting 
and preparing in the woods, and more, by far, in bringing 
home ; so that I spent sometimes two days in cutting and 
bringing home one of those posts, and a third day in driving it 
into the ground ; for which purpose I used a heavy piece of 
wood. But why need I have been concerned at the tediousness 
of anything I had to do, seeing I had time enough to do it in ? 
nor had I any other employment, except ranging the island to 
seek for food, which I did, more or less, every day. 

I now began to consider seriously my condition, and I drew 
up the state of my affairs in writing, to deliver my thoughts 
from daily poring upon them, and as my reason began now to 
master my despondency, I began to comfort myself as well as I 
could, and to set the good against the evil, that I might have 
something to distinguish my case from worse, and I stated it 
very impartially, like debtor and creditor, the comfort I en- 
joyed, against the miseries I suffered, thus : 


EVIL 


GOOD 


island. 

I am singled out and separated from 


I am cast upon a horrible, desolate 


But I am alive ; and not drowned, as 
all my ship’s company was. 


all the world, to be miserable. 

I am divided from mankind, ban- 


But I am singled out, too, from all the 
ship’s crew, to be spared from death. 


But I am not starved and perishing on 
a barren place, affording no sustenance. 


ished from human society. 

I have no clothes to cover me. 


But I am in a hot climate, where if I 
had clothes I could hardly wear them. 


40 


ADVENTURES OF 


I am without defence, or means to 
resist any violence of man or beast. 


I have no soul to speak to or relieve 
me. 


But I am cast on an island where I 
see no wild beasts to hurt me, as I saw 
on the coast of Africa ; and what if I 
had been shipwrecked there ? 

But God wonderfully sent the ship in 
near enough to the shore, that I have got 
out so many necessary things as wll 
either supply my wants or enable me 
to supply myself, even as long as I live. 


Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony that 
scarce any condition in the world was so miserable, but there 
was something to be thankful for in it. 

My habitation® was a tent under the side of a rock, sur- 
rounded with a strong pale of posts and cables ; but I might 
now rather call the pale a wall, for I piled up against it turfs, 
about two feet thick on the outside : and after some time I 
raised rafters from it, leaning to the rock, and thatched the 
whole with boughs of trees, and such things as I could get 
to keep out the rain. I brought all my goods into this pale, 
and into the cave. At first they were a confused heap, which 
took up all my place. I had no room to turn. So I set my- 
self to enlarge my cave. It was in a loose, sandy rock, which 
yielded easily to the labor I bestowed on it ; and when I found 
I was pretty safe as to beasts of prey, I worked sideways, to 
the right into the rock ; and then turning to the right again, 
worked quite out, and made me a door on the outside of my 
fortification. 

This gave me not only a back way to my tent and to my 
storehouse, but room to stow my goods. 

Now I began to make such things as I found I most wanted. 
I had never handled a tool in my life; and yet in time, by 
labor, application, and contrivance, I made abundance of 
things, which, perhaps, were never made that way before. If 
I wanted a board, I cut down a tree, and hewed it flat on either 
side with my axe till I had brought it to be thin, and then 
dubbed it smooth with my adze. By this method I could 


EOBINSON CRUSOE 


41 


make only one board out of a whole tree ; but this I had no 
remedy for but patience, any more than I had for the prodigious 
deal of time and labor which it took ; but my time and labor 
were of little worth, and so were as well employed one way as 
another. 

When I had wrought out some boards, I made large shelves, 
of the breadth of a foot and a half, one over another, all along 
one side of my cave, on which to lay my tools, nails, and iron- 
work; and I drove pegs into the wall of the rock, that I 
might hang up my guns and other things. It was a great 
pleasure to me to see all my goods in such order, and especially 
to find my stock of necessaries so great. 

Now it was that I began to keep a journal of every day’s 
employment; for, at first, I was in too much hurry, and in 
too much discomposure of mind. But having gotten over these 
things in some measure, and having settled my household stuft* 
and habitation, I began my journal, of which I here give the 
copy as long as it lasted; for finally having no more ink, I 
was forced to leave it oft'. 


CHAPTER V 


Of my work day by day — I am greatly astonished to find some stalks 
of rice and barley springing up near my dwelling— An earthquake 
nearly destroys my cave — The wrecked ship is heaved up in a 
new posture and I bring many more things out of it — I have a 
violent attack of ague — In a chest where I had stowed various 
articles I find a Bible, and the reading of it greatly comforts me. 


THE JOURNAL 

September 30, 1659. — I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe, 
being shipwrecked during a dreadful storm came on shore on this 
dismal island, which I called “ The Island of Despair ” ; all the 


42 


ADVENTURES OF 


rest of the ship’s company being drowned, and myself almost 
dead. 

Having vomited with the great quantity of salt water which 
was gotten into my stomach, I ran about the shore, wringing 
my hands and beating my head, exclaiming at my misery, and 
crying out, “ I am undone, undone ! ” until tired and faint I 
was forced to lie dowm on the ground. 

From the of October to the 2^th. — All these days 
spent in many voyages to get all I could out of the ship. 
Much rain, though with some intervals of fair weather ; but it 
seems this was the rainy season. 

Sometimes I could not forbear getting up to the top of a 
little mountain and looking out to sea, in hopes of seeing a 
ship, then fancy at a vast distance I spied a sail, please myself 
with hopes of it, and after looking steadily till I w^as almost 
blind, lose it quite, and sit down and weep like a child. 

October 26. — I walked about the shore almost all day, to 
find a place for my habitation. Toward night I fixed upon a 
proper place, under a rock. 

From the 26th to the 30th, I worked in carrying all my 
goods to my new habitation, though some part of the time it 
rained exceeding hard. 

November 3. — I went out with my gun, and killed two 
fowls like ducks, which were very good food. 

November 4. — I began to order my times of work, time of 
sleep, and time of diversion. Every morning I walked out with 
my gun for two or three hours, if it did not rain ; then em- 
ployed myself to work till about eleven o’clock ; then ate ; and 
from twelve to two I lay doAvn to sleep, the weather being ex- 
cessive hot : and, in the evening, work again. The working 
part of this day and the next were employed in making a 
table. 

November 5. — I went abroad with my gun and my dog, 
and killed a wildcat ; her skin pretty soft, but her flesh good 


BOBINSON CRUSOE 


43 


for nothing. Coming back by the seashore, I saw many sorts 
of sea-fowls ; but was surprised, and almost frighted, with two 
or three seals, which, while I was gazing, not well knowing 
what they were, got into the sea and escaped. 

November 7. — Now it began to be settled fair weather. 
The 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and part of the 12th (for the 11th 
was Sunday according to my reckoning), I took wholly up to 
make me a chair, and with much ado brought it to a tolerable 
shape, but never to please me. Even in the making I pulled 
it to pieces several times. 

Note. — I soon neglected keeping Sundays ; for, omitting 
my mark for them on my post, I forgot which day was which. 

November 17. — I began to dig a cave behind my tent into 
the rock. 

Note. — Three things I wanted exceedingly for this work ; 
a pick-axe, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow, or basket. For the 
pick-axe, I made use of the iron crows, which were proper 
enough, though heavy. The next thing was a shovel, or spade. 
This was so absolutely necessary, that I could do nothing 
effectually without it ; but what kind of one to make I knew 
not. 

November 18. — ^In searching the woods, I found a tree 
which, in the Brazils, they call the iron tree, for its exceeding 
hardness. With great labor, and almost spoiling my axe, I cut 
a piece, and brought it home, and worked it by little and little 
into the form of a shovel or spade. 

I still wanted a basket, or a wheelbarrow. A basket I 
could not make, having no twigs that would bend to make 
wicker-ware — at least, none yet found. As to the wheel- 
barrow, I fancied I could make all but the wheel. That I had 
no notion of. So I gave it over, and for carrying away the 
earth which I dug out of the cave, I made me a thing like a 
hod, which laborers carry mortar in. This was not so difficult 
as making the shovel ; and yet this and the shovel occupied no 


44 


ADVENTURES OF 


less than four days, I mean always excepting my morning’s walk 
with my gun, which I seldom failed to take, and very seldom 
failed also of bringing home something fit to eat. 

December 10. — I began now to think my cave or vault 
finished, when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too large) 
a great quantity of earth fell down from the top and one side ; 
so much that it frighted me, and not without reason, too. If 
I had been under it, I had never wanted a grave-digger. 
Upon this disaster I had a great deal of work to do over, for I 
had the loose earth to carry out ; and I had the ceiling to prop 
up, so that I might be sure no more would come down. 

December 11. — I went to work and got posts pitched up- 
right, with two pieces of board across over each post ; and in 
about a week I had the roof secured. 

December 20. — Set up some pieces of board like a dresser, 
to place my victuals on. Also I made me another table. 

December 24. — Much rain all night and all day. 

December 25. — Rain all day. 

December 2^. — No rain, and the earth much cooler than 
before, and pleasanter. 

December 28, 29, 30, 31. — Great heats and no breeze, so that 
there was no stirring abroad, except in the evening, for food. 
This time I spent in putting all my things in order within doors. 

January 1. — Very hot: but I went abroad early and late 
with my gun, and lay still in the middle of the day. This 
evening, going farther into the valleys which lay toward the 
centre of the island, I found there was plenty of goats, though 
exceedingly shy, and hard to come at. I resolved to try if I 
could train my dog to hunt them down. 

January 2. — I went out with my dog, and set him on the 
goats ; but they all faced about upon him, and he would not 
go near them. 

January 3. — I began my fence, or wall ; which I resolved 
to make very thick and strong. I was from the 3d of January 


ROBINSO]^ CRUSOE 


45 


to the 14th of April finishing and perfecting this wall, though 
it was no more than about twenty-four yards in length. 

During this time I went to the woods for game nearly every 
day, and made frequent discoveries in these walks of something 
or other to my advantage ; particularly I found a kind of wild 
pigeons, which built in the holes of rocks; and taking some 
young ones, I endeavored to breed them up tame ; but when 
they grew older they flew all away. However, I frequently 
found their nests, and got their young ones, which were very 
good meat. 

In the managing my household affairs, I wanted many things, 
which I thought at first it was impossible for me to make ; and, 
indeed, as to some of them it was. For instance, I could never 
make a cask. I had a small runlet or two ; but I could never 
arrive to the capacity of making one, though I spent many 
weeks about it. I could neither put in the heads, nor join the 
staves so true to one another that they would hold waterT I 
also was at a great loss for candles. So as soon as it was dark, 
which was generally by seven o’clock, I was obliged to go to 
bed. The only remedy I had was, that when I killed a goat I 
saved the tallow, and with a little dish made of clay, which I 
baked in the sun, to which I added a wick of oakum, I made 
me a lamp. This gave me light, though not a clear, steady 
light like a candle. In the middle of all my labors it happened 
that, rummaging my things, I found a little bag, which had 
been filled with corn for the feeding of poultry, as I suppose, 
when the ship came from Lisbon. What little remainder of 
corn had been in the bag was all devoured by the rats, and I 
saw nothing in the bag but husks and dust ; and being willing 
to have the bag for some other use, I shook the husks of corn 
out of it on one side of my fortification, under the rock. 

It was a little before the great rains that I threw this stuff 
away, taking no notice, and soon forgetting that I had thrown 
anything there. About a month after, I saw a few stalks of 


46 


ADVENTURES OF 


something green shooting out of the ground by the rock ; but 
I was perfectly astonished when, after a little longer time, I saw 
about ten or twelve ears come out, which were green barley, of 
the same kind as our English barley. 

It is impossible to express the confusion of my thoughts when 
I saw barley grow there in a climate which I knew w^as not 
proper for it, and especially as I knew not how it came there. 
I began to suggest that God had miraculously caused this grain 
to grow without any help of seed sown, purely for my sustenance 
in that wild, miserable place. I blessed myself that such a 
prodigy of Nature should happen upon my account ; and this 
was the more strange to me, because I saw, along by the side 
of the rock, some other straggling stalks, which proved to be 
stalks of rice, and which I knew because I had seen it grow in 
Africa, when I was ashore there. I not only thought these the 
productions of Providence for my support, but not doubting 
that^there was more in the place, I went all over that part of 
the island where I had been before, peering in every corner for 
more of it, but I could not find any. At last it occurred to my 
thoughts that I had shaken the bag of chickens’ food out in 
that place ; and the wonder began to cease ; and, I must con- 
fess, my thankfulness to God’s providence began to abate too. 

I carefully saved the ears of barley, you may be sure, and, 
laying up every corn, I resolved to sow them all, hoping in 
time to have some quantity, sufficient to supply me with bread. 
But it was not till the fourth year that I would allow myself 
the least grain to eat, and even then I ate sparingly. I lost 
all that I sowed first, by not observing the proper time ; for 
I sowed just befoT-e the dry season, so that it never came up 
at all. Besides the barley, there were twenty or thirty stalks 
of rice, which I preserved with the same care. 

April 16. — As I was busy, behind my tent, in the entrance 
to my cave, all on a sudden I found the earth came tumbling 
down from the roof of my cave, and from the edge of the hill 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


47 


over my head, and two of the posts I had set up in the cave 
cracked in a frightful manner. I was heartily scared ; thinking 
that the top of my cave was fallen in, as some of it had done 
before ; and I ran forward to my ladder, and got over my wall 
for fear of the pieces of the hill, which I expected might roll 
down upon me. I w^as no sooner on the firm ground, than I 
plainly saw it was a terrible earthquake ; for the ground I stood 
on shook three times at about eight minutes’ interval, with 
three such shocks as would have overturned the strongest build- 
ing; and a great piece of a rock, about half a mile from me, 
next the sea, fell down with such a terrible noise as I never 
had heard in all my life. I perceived also the sea was put into 
a violent motion ; and I believe the shocks were stronger under 
the water than on the island. 

I was so amazed that I was like one dead or stupefied ; and 
the motion of the earth made my stomach sick like one that 
was tossed at sea; but the noise of the falling of the rock 
awaked me, as it were, and I thought of nothing then but the 
hill falling upon my tent and my household goods, and burying 
all at once. 

After the third shock was over, and I felt no more for some 
time, I began to take courage ; and yet I had not heart enough 
to get over my wall again, for fear of being buried alive, but 
still sat upon the ground, greatly cast down and disconsolate, 
not knowing what to do. 

While I sat thus, I found the sky was overcast, as if it would 
rain. Soon after that, the wind arose by little and little, so 
that in less than half an hour it blew a most dreadful hurricane. 
The sea was white with foam and froth ; the shore was covered 
with the breach of the water ; the trees were torn up by the 
roots ; and a terrible storm it was. This held about three hours 
and then abated ; and in two hours more it was calm, and began 
to rain very hard. 

All this while I sat upon the ground much terrified and 


48 


ADVENTURES OF 


dejected ; but my spirits now began to revive ; and the rain 
also helping to persuade me, I went in my tent ; but the rain 
was so violent that my tent was ready to be beaten down with 
it ; and I was forced to go into my cave, though very much 
afraid and uneasy, for fear it should fall on my head. This 
violent rain forced me to cut a hole through my fortifications, 
to let the water go out, which would else have flooded my cave. 
It continued raining all that night, and great part of the next 
day, so that I could not stir abroad. I began to think of what 
I had best do; concluding, that if the island was subject to 
these earthquakes, there would be no living in a cave, but I 
must build some little hut in an open place which I might sur- 
round with a wall, and so make myself secure. 

April 22. — I began to consider means to put this resolve in 
execution ; but I was at a great loss about my tools. I had 
three large axes, and abundance of hatchets (for we carried the 
hatchets to traffic with the Indians) ; but with much chopping 
and cutting knotty hard wood, they were all full of notches, and 
dull ; and though I had a grindstone, I could not turn it and 
grind my tools too. This caused me as much thought as a 
statesman would have bestowed upon a grand point of politics. 
At length, I contrived a wheel with a string, to turn it with 
my foot, that I might have both my hands at liberty. 

April 28, 29. — These two whole days I took up in grinding 
my tools, my contrivance for turning my grindstone performing 
very well. 

May 1. — In the morning, looking toward the seaside, the 
tide being low, I saw something lying on the shore. When I 
came to it, I found a small barrel, and two or three pieces of 
the wreck of the ship, which had been driven on shore by the 
late hurricane ; and looking toward the wreck itself, I thought 
it seemed to lie higher out of the water than it used to do. I 
examined the barrel which was driven on shore, and soon found 
it was a barrel of gunpowder ; but it had taken water, and the 


EOBmSON CRUSOE 


49 


powder was caked as hard as a stone. However, I rolled it 
farther on shore for the present, and went on. 

When I came to the ship, I found the forecastle, which lay 
before buried in sand, was heaved up at least six feet, and the 
stern, which had been broken to pieces and parted from the rest 
by the force of the sea soon after I had left rummaging, was 
cast on one side ; and whereas there was a great place of water 
before, so that I could not come within a quarter of a mile of 
the wreck without swimming, I could now walk quite up to her 
when the tide was out. I was surprised with this at first, but 
soon concluded it must have been done by the earthquake ; and 
as by this violence the ship was more broken open than formerly, 
many things came daily on shore, which the sea had loosened. 

I busied myself mightily, that day, in searching whether I 
could make any way into the ship ; but I found all the inside was 
choked up with sand. However, I resolved to pull everything 
to pieces that I could of the ship, concluding that all I could 
get from her would be of some use or other to me. 

May 3. — I began with my saw, and cut a beam through, 
which held some of the upper part together, and I cleared away 
the sand as well as I could from the side which lay highest ; 
but the tide coming in, I was obliged to give over for that time. 

May 5. — Worked on the wreck ; cut another beam asunder, 
and brought three great planks off' from the decks, which I tied 
together, and made float to shore when the tide of flood came 
on. 

May — Worked on the wreck. Got several iron bolts 
out of her, and other pieces of iron-work. Came home very 
much tired. 

May 7. — Found the weight of the wreck had broken itself 
down, the beams being cut. The inside of the hold now lay so 
open that I could see into it ; but it was almost full of w^ater 
and sand. 

May 8. — Went to the wreck, and carried an iron crow to 


50 


ADVENTURES OF 


WTench up the deck. I wrenched off two planks, and brought 
them on shore with the tide. I left the iron crow in the wreck 
for next day. 

May 9. — With the crow made way into the body of the 
wreck, and felt several casks, and loosened them, but could not 
break them up. I felt also a roll of lead, and could stir it, but 
it was too heavy to remove. 

May 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. — Went every day to the wreck; 
and got pieces of timber, and boards, and two or three hundred- 
weight of iron. 

May 15. — I carried two hatchets, to try if I could cut a 
piece off the roll of lead, by placing the edge of one hatchet, 
and driving it with the other ; but as the lead lay about a foot 
and a half in the water, I could not drive the hatchet. 

May 16. — It had blown hard in the night, and the wreck 
appeared more broken by the force of the water ; but I stayed 
so long in the woods, to get pigeons for food, that the tide pre- 
vented me going to the wreck that day. 

May 24. — Every day, to this day, I worked on the wreck ; 
and with hard labor I loosened some things so much with the 
crow that the tide floated out several casks, and two of the sea- 
men’s chests; but the wind blowing from the shore nothing 
came to land. I continued this work every day to the 15th 
of June, except the time necessary to get food, which I always 
appointed, during this part of my employment, to be when the 
tide was up, that I might be ready when it was ebbed out. By 
this time I had gotten timber, and plank, and iron- work enough 
to have built a good boat, if I had known how ; and also I got, 
at several times, and in several pieces, nearly one hundred- 
weight of the sheet lead. 

June 16. — Going down to the seaside, I found a large tur- 
tle. This was the first I had seen. 

June 17. — Cooked the turtle. I found in her three-score 
eggs ; and her flesh was to me, at that time, the most savory 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


51 


and pleasant that ever I tasted in my life, having had no flesh, 
but of goats and fowls, since I landed in this horrible place. 

June 18. — Kained all the day, and I stayed within. I 
thought the rain felt cold, and I was somewhat chilly, which I 
knew was not usual in that latitude. 

June 19. — Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had 
been cold. 

June 20. — No rest all night ; violent pains in my head, and 
feverish. 

June^\. — Very ill; frighted almost to death with the 
apprehensions of my sad condition — to be sick, and no help. 
Prayed to God, for the first time since the storm off Hull, but 
scarce knew what I said or why ; my thoughts being all con- 
fused. 

June 22. — A little better. 

June 23. — Very bad again ; cold and shivering, and then a 
violent headache. 

June 24. — Much better. 

June 25. — An ague very violent. The fit held me seven 
hours, with faint sweats after it. 

June 26. — Better ; and having no victuals to eat, took my 
gun, but found myself very weak. However, I killed a goat, 
and with much difficulty got it home, and broiled some of it, 
and ate. I would fain have stewed it, and made some broth, 
but had no pot. 

June 27. — The ague again so violent that I lay abed all 
day, and neither ate nor drank. I was ready to perish for 
thirst but had no strength to stand up, or to get myself any 
water to drink. Prayed to God again, but was light-headed ; 
and knew not what to say ; only I lay and cried, “ Lord, look 
upon me ! Lord, pity me ! Lord, have mercy upon me ! ” 

I suppose I did nothing else for two or three hours ; till the 
fit wearing off, I fell asleep, and did not awake till far in the 
night. When I awoke, I found myself much refreshed, but 


52 


ADVENTURES OF 


weak, and exceeding thirsty. However, as I had no water in 
my whole habitation, I was forced to lie till morning, and went 
to sleep again. 

June 28. — Having been somewhat refreshed with the sleep 
I had had, and the fit being entirely off, I got up. I considered 
that the ague would return again the next day, and now was 
my time to get something to refresh and support myself when 
I should be ill ; and the first thing I did, I filled a large square 
case-bottle ° with water, and set it on my table, in reach of my 
bed. Then I got me a piece of the goat’s flesh, and broiled it 
on the coals, but could eat little. I walked about, but was very 
weak, and withal sad and heavy-hearted under a sense of my 
miserable condition, dreading the return of my distemper the 
next day. At night, I made my supper of three of the turtle’s 
eggs, which I roasted in the ashes. 

After I had eaten, I sat down in my chair, and lighted my 
lamp, for it began to be dark. Now, as the apprehensions of 
the return of my distemper terrified me very much, it occurred 
to my Thought, that the Brazilians take no physic but their to- 
bacco for almost all distempers. I had a piece of a roll of tobacco 
in one of the chests, which was quite dry, and some also that 
was green. 

I went, directed by Heaven, no doubt; for in this chest I 
found a cure both for soul and body. I opened the chest, 
and found the tobacco ; and as the few books I had saved lay 
there too, I took out one of the Bibles, which to this time I had 
not found leisure, or so much as inclination, to look into, and 
brought both that and the tobacco with me to the table. 

What use to make of the tobacco, as to my distemper, 
or whether it was good for it I knew not ; but I tried 
several experiments, as I was resolved it should heal one way 
or other. I first took a piece of leaf, and chewed it in my 
mouth, which almost stupefied my brain, the tobacco being 
green and strong, and I not much used to it. Then I took 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


53 


some and steeped it an hour or two in some rum, and resolved 
to take a dose of it when I lay down. Lastly, I burnt some on 
a pan of coals, and held my nose close over the smoke as long 
as I could bear it. 

In the interval of this operation, I took up the Bible and 
began to read ; but my head was too much disturbed with the 
tobacco to bear reading ; only, having opened the book casually, 
the words that occurred to me were these, “ Call upon me in 
tlie day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt 
glorify me.” 

It now grew late, and the tobacco had dozed my head so 
much that I inclined to sleep. So I left my lamp burning, 
lest I should want anything in the night, and went to bed. 
But before I lay down, I kneeled and prayed to God to fulfil 
the promise to me, that if I called upon him in the day of 
trouble, he would deliver me. After my broken and imperfect 
prayer was over, I drank the rum in which I had steeped the 
tobacco, and it was so strong and rank of the tobacco, that I 
could scarcely get it down. Immediately I went to bed, and 
fell into a sound sleep, and waked no more till, by the sun, it 
must have been near three o’clock in the afternoon the next day. 

When I awaked I found myself exceedingly refreshed, and 
my spirits lively and cheerful. I was stronger than I had 
been the day before, and I was hungry. I had no fit, but 
continued much altered for the better. This was the 29th. 

The 30 th was my well day, of course, and I went abroad 
with my gun, but did not care to travel far. I killed a sea- 
fowl or two, and brought them home ; but was not very forward 
to eat them. So I ate some more of the turtle’s eggs, which 
were very good. This evening I renewed the medicine, which 
I had supposed did me good the day before, viz., the to- 
bacco steeped in rum ; only I did not take so much, nor did 
I chew any of the leaf, or hold my head over the smoke. 
However, I was not so well the next day, which was the 1st 


54 


ADVENTURES OF 


of July, as I hoped I should be; for I had a little spice of a 
cold fit, but it was not much. 

July 2. — I renewed the medicine all three ways ; and dosed 
myself with it as at first, and doubled the quantity which I 
drank. 

July 3. — I missed the fit for good and all, though I did not 
recover my full strength for some weeks after. While I was 
thus gathering strength, my thoughts ran exceedingly upon 
this Scripture, “ I will deliver thee ; ” and surely I had been 
delivered, and wonderfully too, from the most distressed condi- 
tion that could be. 

July 4. — I took the Bible; and beginning at the New 
Testament, I began seriously to read it and imposed upon 
myself to read a while every morning and every night ; not 
tying myself to the number of chapters, but as long as my 
thoughts should engage me. 


CHAPTER VI 


I recover from my ague — Of a journey I made into the island — I 
discover melons, limes, and abundance of grapes fit for raisins — 
Of my cats — I dig up a piece of ground and sow my grain — I 
travel to the other side of the island, and I bring home a young 
parrot and a kid I captured. 

My condition began now to be, though not less miserable 
as to my way of living, yet much easier as to my mind : my 
thoughts being directed, by a constant reading the Scripture 
and praying to God, to things of a higher nature. Also, my 
health and strength returned, and I bestirred myself to furnish 
myself with everything that I wanted, and make my way of 
living as regular as I could. 

From the 4th of July to the 14th, I was chiefly employed in 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


55 


walking about with my gun in my hand, a little at a time ; 
for it is hardly to be imagined to what weakness I was re- 
duced. Having now secured my habitation, fully to my mind, 
I had a great desire to make a more perfect discovery of the 
island, and to see what productions I might find, which yet I 
knew nothing of. 

It was the 15th of July that I began to take a more partic- 
ular survey of the island. I went up the creek first. After 
about two miles the tide did not flow any higher ; and the 
stream was no more than a little brook. On the banks of 
this brook I found many pleasant savannas or meadows, plain, 
smooth, and covered with grass ; and on the rising parts of 
them, where the water never overflowed, I found a great deal 
of tobacco, green, and growing to a very strong stalk. There 
were divers other plants, which I had no understanding about. I 
searched for the cassava root,® which the Indians in that cli- 
mate make their bread of, but I could find none. I came back, 
musing what course I might take to know the virtue and good- 
ness of the fruits or plants which I should discover ; but could 
arrive at no conclusion. 

The next day, I went up the same way again; and after 
going somewhat further the brook and savannas ceased, and 
the country became more woody than before. In this part I 
found melons on the ground, in great abundance ; and grape- 
vines had spread over the trees, and the clusters of grapes were 
just now in their prime, very ripe and rich. This was a sur- 
prising discovery, and I was exceeding glad. 

I spent all that evening there, and went not back to my 
habitation. This was the first night I had lain from home. 
I got up into a tree, where I slept well ; and the next morning 
proceeded upon my discovery, travelling nearly four miles, keep- 
ing still due north. At the end of this march I came to an 
opening, where the country seemed to descend to the west ; and 
a little spring of fresh water issued out of the side of the hill 


56 


ADVENTURES OF 


by me, and the country appeared so green and flourishing, that 
it looked like a planted garden. 

I descended a little on the side of that delicious valley, survey- 
ing it with pleasure, to think that this was all my own, and 
that I was king and lord of all this country. I saw here abun- 
dance of cocoa trees, orange and lemon and citron trees. I 
resolved to lay up a store of grapes, limes, and lemons, to fur- 
nish •myself for the wet season, which I knew was approaching. 
In order to do this, I gathered a great heap of grapes in one 
place, a lesser heap in another place, and a great parcel of limes 
and lemons in a third place; and taking a few of each with 
me, I travelled homeward, and resolved to come again, and 
bring a bag to carry the rest home. Accordingly, having spent 
three days in this journey, I returned to my cave ; but before I 
got thither, the grapes were spoiled. The richness of the fruit, 
and the weight of the juice, having broken them and bruised 
them so they were good for little or nothing. 

The next day I went back, having made two small bags to 
bring home my harvest ; but I was surprised, when coming to 
my heap of grapes, to find them trodden to pieces, and dragged 
about, some here, some there, and abundance devoured. I con- 
cluded some wild creatures had done this ; but what tlTey were 
I knew not. As there was no laying the grapes up in heaps, 
and no carrying them away in a sack, but that one way they 
would be destroyed, and the otlier way they would be crushed 
with their own weight, I took another course ; for I gathered 
a large quantity and hung them on the outer branches of the 
trees, that they might dry in the sun. As for the limes and 
lemons, I carried as many back as I could well stand under. 

When I came home from this journey, I contemplated with 
great pleasure the fruitfulness of that valley, the attractiveness 
of the situation, and the security from storm ; and I began to 
think of removing ihy habitation, and to look out for a place 
in that pleasant, fruitful part of the island equally safe as where 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


57 


now I was situate. This plan ran long in my head, but when 
I came to consider that I was now by the seaside, where it was 
at least possible that something might happen to my advan- 
tage; and the same ill fate that brought me hither might 
bring some other unhappy wretches to the same place ; and to 
enclose myself among the hills and woods in the centre of the 
island, was to render such an affair impossible; therefore I 
ought not by any means to remove. 

However, I was so enamoured with the place that I spent 
much of my time there for the whole remaining part of the 
month of July; and built me a little kind of a bower, and 
surrounded it with a strong double hedge, as high as I could 
reach, well staked, and filled between with brushwood. Here 
I lay very secure, sometimes two or three nights together, 
always going over the hedge with a ladder. I fancied now I 
had my country house and my seacoast house. This work 
took me to the beginning of August. 

The 3d of August, I found the grapes I had hung up were 
perfectly dried, and indeed were excellent raisins, and I began 
to take them down from the trees. It was very happy that 
I did so, for no sooner had I carried them home to my cave, 
but it began to rain. It rained, more or less, every day till 
the middle of October, and sometimes so violently and contin- 
uously that I could not stir out of my cave for several days. 

I had been concerned for the loss of one of my cats, which 
ran away from me, and I heard no tidings of her, till, to my 
astonishment, she came home about the end of August, with 
three kittens. I afterwards came to be so pestered with cats 
that I was forced to kill them like vermin or wild beasts, and 
to drive them from my house as much as possible. 

From the 1 4th of August to the 26th, incessant rain, so 
that I could do little, and was now very careful not to be much 
wet. In this confinement, I began to be straitened for food ; 
but venturing out twice, I one day killed a goat ; and the other 


58 


ADVENTURES OF 


day, found a very large tortoise, which was a treat to me, and 
my food was regulated thus : I ate a bunch of raisins for my 
breakfast, a piece of the goat’s flesh, or of the turtle, for my 
dinner, broiled, and two or three of the turtle’s eggs for supper. 

September 30. — I was now come to the anniversary of my 
landing. I kept this day as a solemn fast, setting it apart for 
religious exercise ; and having not tasted the least refreshment 
for twelve hours, even till the going down of the sun, I then 
ate a biscuit and a bunch of grapes, and went to bed. 

I had for many months observed no Sabbath-day ; for as at 
first I had no sense of religion upon my mind, I had, after some 
time, omitted making on my post a longer notch than ordinary 
for the Sabbath-day, and so did not really know what any of 
the days were ; but now I divided them into weeks, and in * 
future determined to set apart every seventh day for a Sabbath. 

A little after this my ink began to fail me, and so I contented 
myself to use it more sparingly, and to write down only the 
most remarkable events of my life, without continuing a daily 
memorandum. 

I have mentioned that I had saved the few ears of barley 
and rice which I had so surprisingly found ; and now I thought it 
a proper time to sow the seed, after the rains, the sun being in 
its southern position, going from me. Accordingly, I dug up a 
piece of ground as well as I could with my wooden spade, and 
dividing it into two parts, I sowed my grain ; but as I was 
sowing, it occurred to my thoughts that I would not sow it all 
at first, because I did not know wdien was the proper time. 
So I sowed two-thirds, leaving about a handful of each. It 
was a great comfort to me afterward that I did so, as not 
one grain of that I sowed came to anything; for the dry^ 
months following, the earth had no rain. Finding my first 
seed did not grow, which I easily imagined was by reason of 
the drought, I sought for a moister piece of ground to make 
another trial, and I dug up a piece near my new bower, and 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


59 


sowed the rest of my seed in February. This having the 
rainy months of March and April to water it, sprang up very 
pleasantly, and yielded a good crop ; but having had only part 
of the seed left, and not daring to sow all that, my whole crop 
did not amount to more than half a peck of each kind. But 
by this experiment I was made master of my business, and 
knew exactly when the proper season was to sow, and that I 
might expect two seed-times and two harvests every year. 

While this corn was growing I made a little discovery, 
which was of use to me afterward. As soon as the rains were 
over, and the weather began to settle, which was about the 
month of November, I made a visit up the country to my 
bower, where, though I had not been for some months I found 
all things just as I left them. The circle of double hedge that 
I had made was not only firm and entire, but the stakes which 
I had cut off some trees that grew thereabouts were all shot 
out and grown with long branches, as much as a willow-tree 
usually shoots the first year after lopping its head. I was very 
well pleased to see the young trees grow ; and in three years, 
though the hedge made a circle of about twenty-five yards in 
diameter, yet the trees, for such I might now call them, 
covered it, and were a complete shade, sufficient to lodge under 
all the dry season. 

This made me resolve to cut some more stakes and make a 
hedge like this, in a semicircle round the wall of my first dwelling, 
which I did ; and placing the stakes in a double row, at about 
eight yards’ distance from my first fence, they grew presently, 
and were a fine cover to my habitation. After I had found, by ' 
experience, the ill consequence of being abroad in the rain, I 
took care to furnish myself with provisions beforehand, that I 
might not be obliged to go out, and I sat within doors as much 
as possible during the wet months. In this time I found plenty 
of employment, and particularly, I tried many ways to make 
myself a basket, but all the twigs I could get for the purpose 


60 


ADVENTURES OF 


were too brittle. When I was a boy, I took great delight in 
standing at a basketmaker’s, in the town where my father 
lived, to see the workmen make their wickerware ; and being, 
as boys usually are, very officious to help, and a great observer 
of the manner how they did those things, and sometimes lend- 
ing a hand, I had by this means so full knowledge of the 
methods, that I wanted nothing but the materials. It came 
into my mind that the twigs of that tree whence I cut my 
stakes that grew might possibly be as tough as the osiers in 
England, and I resolved to try them. 

Accordingly, I went to my country house, and cutting some 
of the smaller twigs, I found them to my purpose as much as I 
could desire ; whereupon I went the next time with a hatchet 
and cut down a quantity. These I set up to dry, within my 
circle or hedges, and when they were fit for use, I carried them 
to my cave ; and during the next season, I employed myself in 
making, as well as I could, a great many baskets, both to carry 
and to lay up things in, as I had occasion ; and though I did 
not finish them very handsomely, yet I made them so they were 
serviceable for my purpose. Afterward, I took care never to 
be without them; and as my wickerware decayed, I made 
more. Having mastered this difficulty, and employed a wmrld 
of time about it, I bestirred myself to see, if possible, how to 
supply another want. I had no vessel to hold anything that 
was liquid, except two runlets, which were almost full of rum, 
and some glass bottles. I had not a pot to boil anything in, 
except a great kettle which I saved out of the ship, and which 
was too big to make broth, or stew a bit of meat. I employed 
myself in planting my second row of stakes or piles and in this 
wicker work, all the summer or dry season, when another busi- 
ness took up more time than it would be imagined I could 
spare. 

I mentioned before that I had a great mind to see the whole 
island, and that I had travelled up the brook, and on to where 


nOBINSON' CRUSOE 


61 


I built my bower. I now resolved to travel quite to the sea- 
shore on that side ; so, taking my gun, a hatchet, and my dog, 
and a larger quantity of powder and shot than usual, with two 
biscuit-cakes and a great bunch of raisins in my pouch, I began 
my journey. When I had passed the vale where my bower 
stood, I came within view of the sea to the west, and it being 
a very clear day, fairly descried land. It lay very high, ex- 
tending from the west to the southwest at a great distance. 
By my guess, it could not be less than fifteen leagues off. 

I could not tell what part of the world this might be, other- 
wise than that I knew it must be part of America, and perhaps 
inhabited by savages, where, if I had landed, 'I had been in a 
worse condition than I was now. I found that side of the 
island much pleasanter than mine, with intervals of very fine 
woods, and open fields, adorned with flowers and grass. I saw 
abundance of parrots, and after some painstaking I knocked one 
down with a stick, and brought it home, and taught it to call 
me by my name very familiarly. 

I was exceedingly diverted with this journey. I found in 
the low ground hares, as I thought them to be ; but they 
differed greatly from all other kinds I had met with, nor could 
I satisfy myself to eat them, though I killed several. I had 
no need to be venturous, for I had plenty of food, and that 
which was very good, too, especially these three sorts, — goats, 
pigeons, and turtle. 

I never travelled in this journey more than two miles out- 
right in a day ; but I took so many turns and returns to see what 
discoveries I could make, that I came weary enough to the 
places where I resolved to stay for all night ; and then I either 
reposed in a tree, or surrounded myself with a row of stakes set 
upright in the ground, so no wild creature could come at me 
without waking me. 

As soon as I reached the sea I was surprised to discover that 
the shore was covered with innumerable turtles, whereas on my 


62 


ADVENTURES OF 


side of the island I found but three in a year and a half. Here 
was also an infinite number of fowls of many kinds, some of 
which I had not seen before, and many of them very good 
meat. I could have shot all I pleased, but was very sparing 
of my powder. 

I travelled along the shore of the sea toward the east, I suppose 
about twelve miles, and then setting up a tall pole for a mark, I 
concluded I woidd go home, and that my next journey should 
be on the other side of the island east from my dwelling, and 
so round till I came to my post. 

I took another way to go back than that I came, thinking I 
could easily keep all the island so much in my view that I could 
not miss finding my first dwelling ; but after walking about two 
or three miles, I descended into a very large valley so sur- 
rounded with hills, and those hills covered with wood, that I 
could not see which was my way by any means except the sun. 
It happened, to my misfortune, that the sky was darkly 
clouded for three or four days wdiile I was in this valley, and 
not being able to see the sun, I wandered about very uncom- 
fortable, and at last was obliged to seek out the seaside. Then 
I returned the same way I came by easy journeys, the weather 
being exceeding hot, and my gun, ammunition, hatchet, and 
other things, veiy heavy. 

In this journey my dog surprised a young kid, and seized 
upon it ; and I running in took hold of it, and saved it alive 
from the dog. I made a collar for this little creature, and 
with a string of rope-yarn, which I always carried about with 
me, I led it along, though with some difficulty, till I came to 
my bower, and there I enclosed it and left it, for I was very 
impatient to be at home, whence I had been absent more 
than a month. 


BOBINSON CRUSOE 


63 


CHAPTER VII 


I return from my wandering journey — Of how I made me a board 
for a long shelf — I harvest my first crop of barley and rice — 
My troubles in making pots and jars — I build a boat, but am not 
able to launch it — I make some clothes and a great umbrella out 
of the skins of animals. 

I CANNOT express what a satisfaction it was to me to come 
into my old hutch, and lie down in my hammock-bed. I 
reposed here a week, to rest and regale myself after my long 
journey ; and during this week, most of the time was taken 
up in the weighty affair of making a cage for my Poll, who 
began now to be mighty well acquainted with me. Then I 
began to think of the poor kid and resolved to go and fetch 
it home. I found it where I left it, but almost starved for 
want of food. Having fed it, I tied it as I did before, to lead 
it away ; but it was so tame with being hungry, that I had no 
need to have tied it, for it followed me like a dog ; and as I 
continually fed it, the creature became so loving, so gentle, 
and so fond, that it was from that time one of my domestics, 
and would never leave me afterward. 

The rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now come, 
and I kept the 30th of September in the same solemn manner 
as before, being the anniversary of my landing on the island. 
I had now been there two years, and saw no more prospect of 
being delivered than the first day I came. 

Thus I began my third year. I was very seldom idle, having 
regularly divided my time according to several daily employments, 
such as, first, my duty to God, and the reading the Scriptures ; 
secondly, the going abroad with my gun for food, which generally 
took three hours every morning, when it did not rain ; thirdly, 
the dressing, curing, preserving, and cooking what I had killed 
or caught for my supply. Also, it is to be considered, that in 


64 


ADVENTURES OF 


the middle of the day the violence of the heat was too great 
to stir out ; so that about four hours in the evening was all 
the time I could be supposed to work in, with this exception, 
that sometimes I changed my hours of hunting and working, 
and went to work in the morning, and abroad with my gun 
in the afternoon. 

For want of tools, want of help, and want of skill, every- 
thing I did took up much time : for example, I was full two- 
and-forty days in making a board for a long shelf, which I 
wanted in my cave ; whereas two sawyers, with their tools 
and a saw-pit, would have cut six such boards out of the same 
tree in half a day. My case was this : it was a large tree, be- 
cause my board was to be a broad one. This tree I was three 
days cutting down, and two more cutting off the boughs. With 
inexpressible hacking and hewing, I reduced both the sides 
of it into chips till it began to be light enough to move. Then 
I turned it, and made one side of it smooth and flat from end 
to end. Then turning that side downward, I cut the other side 
till I brought the board to be about twm inches thick, and 
smooth on both sides. Any one may judge the labor of my 
hands in such a piece of work ; but labor and patience carried 
me through that, and many other things. 

I was now, in the months of November and December, ex- 
pecting my crop of barley and rice. The ground I had planted 
was not great ; for my seed of each was not more than the 
quantity of half a p^ck. But now my crop promised very well, 
when on a sudden I found I was in danger of losing it all by ene- 
mies of several sorts, which there seemed little chance to keep 
from it. I had before been troubled with the goats, and wild 
creatures I called hares, which, tasting the sweetness of the blade, 
lay in the field night and day, as soon as the grain came up, aiid 
ate it so close that it could get no time to shoot up into stalk. 

This I saw no remedy for, but by enclosing it with a hedge, 
which I did with a great deal of toil. However, as my arable 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


65 


land was but small, suited to my crop, I got it well fenced in 
about three weeks ; and shooting some of the creatures in the 
daytime, I set my dog to guard the field in the night, tying him 
to a stake at the gate, where he would stand and bark all 
night long. So in a little while the enemies forsook the place, 
and the corn grew very strong and well, and began to ripen. 

But as the beasts ruined me before, while my corn was in 
the blade, so the birds were as likely to ruin me now, when it 
was in the ear ; for going to see how it throve, I saw my little 
crop surrounded with fowls, of I know not how many sorts. 
I immediately let fly among them, for I always had my gun 
with me. I had no sooner shot, but there rose up a cloud of 
fowls, which I had not seen at all, from among the corn itself. 

This touched me deeply, for I foresaw that in a few days 
they would devour all my hopes, and I should never be able 
to raise a crop at all. What to do I could not tell. However, 
I resolved not to lose my com, though I should watch it night 
and day. I went into it to see what damage was already done, 
and found the birds had spoiled a good deal of it ; but as it 
was yet too green for them, the loss was not so great, but the 
remainder was likely to be a good crop, if it could be saved. 

I stayed to load my gun, and then coming away, I could see 
the thieves sitting upon all the trees about me, as if they only 
waited till I was gone, and the event proved it to be so ; for as 
I walked off, I was no sooner out of their sight, but they 
dropped down one by one into the corn again. I was so pro- 
voked that I could not have patience to stay till more came, 
knowing that every grain that they ate now was a loss of 
what would increase to be a peck-loaf to me. Going up to the 
hedge, I fired, and killed three of them. This was what I 
wished for ; so I took them up, and served them as we serve 
notorious thieves in England, that is, hanged them for a terror 
to others. It is impossible to imagine that this should have 
such an eflect as it had, for the fowls not only would not come 

F 


66 


ADVENTURES OF 


at the corn, but they forsook all that part of the island, and I 
never saw a bird near the place as long as my scarecrows 
hung there. This I was very glad of, you may be sure, and 
about the latter end of December, which was our second harvest 
of the year, I reaped my corn. 

I had no scythe or sickle to cut it down, and all I could do 
was to make one, as well as I could, of one of my swords, 
which I saved among the arms out of the ship. I cut nothing 
off but the ears, and I carried them away in a great basket 
which I had made, and rubbed the grain out with my hands. 
At the end of all my harvesting, I found that out of my half- 
peck of seed I had nearly two bushels of rice, and more than 
two bushels and a half of barley ; that is to say, by my guess, 
for I had no measure. 

This was a great encouragement to me, and I foresaw that 
in time it would please God to supply me with bread. It 
is a little wonderful the multitude of things necessary in pro- 
viding this one article, as I, that was reduced to a mere state 
of nature, found out to my daily discouragement. I had no 
plough to turn up the earth ; but I made a wooden spade, though 
this did my work in a wooden manner. When the corn was 
sown, I had no harrow, but was forced to go over the ground 
myself, and drag a great heavy bough of a tree to scratch it. 
When the corn was growing, or grown, how many things I 
wanted to fence it, reap it, cure and carry it home, thrash, part 
it from the chaff, and save it ! Then I wanted a mill to grind 
it, sieves to dress it, yeast and salt to make it into bread, and 
an oven to bake it in. As I had resolved to use none of the 
corn for bread till I had a greater quantity by me, I had the 
next six months to apply myself, by labor and invention, to 
furnish myself with utensils proper for the performing all the 
operations necessary. 

But first I was to prepare more land, for I had now seed 
enough to sow fully an acre of ground. I sowed my seed in two 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


67 


large, flat pieces of ground as near iny house as I could find 
them to my mind, and fenced them in with a good hedge, the 
stakes of which were all of tliat wood I had set before, which I 
knew would grow ; so that I should have a living hedge, that 
would want but little repair. This work took three months, 
because a great part of that time was of the wet season, when I 
could not go abroad. 

Within-doors, when it rained, all the while I was at work, I 
diverted myself with talking to my parrot ; and I quickly 
taught him to know his own name, and at last to speak it out 
pretty loud, “ Poll,” which was the first word I heard spoken 
in the island by any mouth but my own. I had long studied 
means to make myself some earthen vessels, which, indeed, 
I wanted sorely. Considering the heat of the climate, I did 
not doubt but if I could find any clay, I might botch up a pot 
as might, being dried by the sun, be hard enough and strong 
enough to bear handling, and I resolved to make some as large 
as I could, fit to stand like jars, to hold what should be put into 
them. 

It would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh at me, to 
tell how many awkward ways I took to prepare the clay ; what 
odd, misshapen, ugly things I made ; how many of them fell 
in, and how many fell out — the clay not being stiff enough to 
bear its own weight; how many cracked by the over-violent 
heat of the sun, being set out too hastily ; and how many fell 
to pieces with only moving, as well before as after they were 
dried. Having labored hard to find the clay — to dig it, to 
temper it, to bring it home, and work it — I could not make 
more than two large earthen ugly things in a month’s labor. 

However, as the sun baked these two very dry and hard, I 
lifted them gently up and set them down in two great wicker 
baskets, which I had made on purpose for them, that they 
might not break ; and as between the pot and the basket there 
was a little room to spare, I stuffed it full of the rice and barley 


6S 


ADVENTURES OF 


straw ; and these two pots being to stand always dry, I thought 
would hold my corn, and perhaps the meal, when the com was 
bruised. 

Though I miscarried so much in my design for large pots, 
yet I made several smaller things with better success ; such as 
little round pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and pipkins, and the 
heat of the sun baked them strangely hard. 

But all this would not answer my end, which was to get an 
earthen pot to hold what was liquid, and bear the fire. It 
happened after some time, making a pretty large fire for cook- 
ing my meat, when I went to put it out after I had done with 
it, I found a broken piece of one of my earthenware vessels in 
the fire, burnt as hard as a stone, and red as a tile. I was 
agreeably surprised, and said to myself that certainly they might 
be made to burn whole, if they would burn broken. 

This set me to study how to order my fire so as to make it 
burn me some pots. I had no notion of a kiln, such as the 
potters burn in ; but I arranged three large pipkins, and two or 
three pots in a pile, one upon another, and placed my firewood 
all round, with a great heap of embers under them. I plied the 
fire with fresh fuel round the outside, and on the top, till I saw 
the pots in the inside red-hot quite through. I let them stand 
in that heat about five or six hours, till the sand which was 
mixed with the clay melted by the violence of the heat. Then 
I slacked my fire gradually till the pots began to abate of the 
red color, and watching them all night, that I might not let the 
fire abate too fast, in the morning I had three very good pipkins, 
and two other earthen pots, as hard burnt as could be desired, 
and one of them perfectly glazed with the running of the sand. 

After this experiment I wanted no sort of earthenware for 
my use ; but I must needs say as to the shapes they were very 
indifferent, as any one may suppose, when I had no way of 
making them but as the children make dirt pies. 

No joy at a thing of so mean a nature was ever equal to 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


69 


mine, when I found I had made an earthen pot that would bear 
the fire. I had hardly patience to stay till they were cold 
before I set one on the fire with some water in it, to boil me 
some meat, which it did admirably well ; and with a piece of a 
kid I made some very good broth. 

My next concern was to get me a stone mortar to stamp corn 
in. To supply this want I was at a great loss. I spent many 
a day searching for a great stone to cut hollow and make fit for 
a mortar, but could find none, except what was in the solid rock, 
and which I had no way to dig or cut out ; nor indeed were the 
rocks in the island of hardness sufiicient, but were all of a sandy, 
crumbling stone, which would neither bear the weight of a heavy 
pestle, nor would break the corn without filling it with sand. 
So, after a great deal of time lost in searching for a stone, I 
resolved to use a great block of hard wood ; and getting one as 
big as I had strength to stir, I rounded it and formed the outside 
with my axe and hatchet, and then, with the help of fire, made 
a hollow place in it. After this, I made a great heavy pestle 
of the wood called the iron-wood ; and this I laid by till I had 
my next crop of corn, when I proposed to pound some of it into 
meal, to make bread. 

My next difficulty was to make a sieve to dress my meal and 
part it from the bran and the husk. This was most difficult, 
for I had nothing to make it with ; I mean thin fine canvas to 
sift the meal through. Linen I had none left but what was 
mere rags. I had goats’ hair, but neither knew I how to weave 
nor spin it. At last I did remember I had, among the sea- 
men’s clothes which were saved out of the ship, some neckcloths 
of calico or muslin; and with pieces of these I made three small 
sieves, proper enough for the work. 

The baking part was the next thing to be considered. I had 
no yeast, and as to that, there was no supplying the want, so 
I did not concern myself much about it. For an oven I made 
some earthen vessels about two feet broad and nine inches deep. 


70 


ADVENTURES OF 


These I burned in the fire and laid them by ; and when I wanted 
to bake, I made a great fire on the hearth, which I had paved 
with square tiles, of my own making and burning also. When 
the firewood was burned pretty much into embers, I drew the 
coals forward on the hearth, so as to cover it all over, and 
there I let them lie till the hearth was very hot ; then sweeping 
away all the embers, I set down my loaves, and whelming down 
the earthen pot upon them, drew the embers all round the out- 
side of the pot, to keep in and add to the heat. Thus I baked 
my barley-loaves, and became, in a little time, a good pastry- 
cook into the bargain ; for I made myself various cakes and 
puddings of the rice. 

It need not be wondered at if all these things took up most 
part of the third year of my abode here ; for it is to be observed 
that, in the interval of these things, I had my new harvest and 
husbandry to manage. I reaped my corn in its season, and 
carried it home as well as I could, and laid it up in the ear, in 
my large baskets, till I had time to rub it out, for I had no floor 
to thrash it on, or instrument to thrash it with. 

I had of the barley about twenty bushels, and of the rice as 
much, or more ; so that I resolved to begin to use it freely. 
Also I resolved to see what quantity would be sufficient for me 
a whole year, and to sow but once a year, and I found that 
the forty bushels of barley and rice were much more than I 
could consume in a year, and that I needed to sow no greater 
quantity every year than I had sowed the last. 

All the while these things were doing, my thoughts ran many 
times upon the prospect of land which I had seen from the other 
side of the island ; and I was not without wishes that I was on 
shore there, fancying I might find some way or other to convey 
myself farther. I made no allowance for the dangers, and how I 
might fall into the hands of savages, perhaps such as I would 
have reason to think far worse than the lions and tigers of 
Africa. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


71 


Now I wished for my boy Xury, and the long-boat with the 
shoulder-of-mutton sail, in which I had sailed more than a thou- 
sand miles on the coast of Africa : but this was in vain. Then 
I thought I would go and look at our ship’s boat, which, as I 
have said, was blown upon the shore in the storm, when we 
were cast away. She lay almost where she did at first, and 
was turned by the force of the waves and the winds, bottom 
upward, against a high ridge of rough sand. If I could have 
refitted her, and launched her into the water, the boat would 
have done well enough, and I could have gone back to the 
Brazils with her ; but I might have easily foreseen that I could 
no more turn her and set her upright on her bottom than I 
could remove the island. However, I went to the wood, and 
cut levers and rollers, and brought them to the boat, suggest- 
ing to myself that if I could turn her down, I might easily 
repair the damage she had received, and she would be a very 
good boat, and I might go to sea in her. 

I spared no pains in this piece of fruitless toil, and spent 
three or four weeks about it. At last, finding it impossible to 
heave the boat up with my little strength, I began to dig 
away the sand, to undermine it, and so to make it fall down, 
setting pieces of wood to guide it right in the fall. But when 
I had it turned down I was unable to stir it again, or to get 
under it, much less to move it forward toward the water ; and 
yet, though I gave over the hopes of the boat, my desire to 
venture over to the mainland increased rather than decreased. 

This at length set me thinking whether it was possible to 
make myself a canoe, or periagua, such as the natives of those 
climates make, of the trunk of a great tree. I pleased myself 
extremely with my thoughts of making it, and with my hav- 
ing more conveniences for it than the Negroes or Indians ; but 
not at all considering the want of help to move it into the 
water. 

I went to work upon this boat the most like a fool that ever 


72 


ADVENTUBES OF 


man did, who had any of his senses awake ; not but that the 
difficulty of launching my boat came often into my head ; but 
I put a stop to my inquiries into it, by this foolish answer 
which I gave myself : “ Let me first make it ; I warrant I 
shall find some way or other to get it along when it is done.” 

This was a most preposterous method; but the eagerness 
of my fancy prevailed, and to work I went, and felled a cedar 
tree, five feet ten inches diameter at the lower part next the 
stump, and four feet eleven inches diameter at the end of 
twenty-two feet ; after which it presently parted into branches. 
It was not without infinite labor that I felled this tree. I was 
twenty days hacking and hewing at the bottom ; I Tvas four- 
teen more getting the vast spreading head of it cut off. After 
this, it cost me a month to shape it and dub it to something 
like the bottom of a boat, that it might swim upright as it 
ought to do. It cost me nearly three months more to clear the 
inside. This I did with mallet and chisel till I had brought 
it to be a veiy handsome periagua, and big enough to carry six- 
and-twenty men, and consequently big enough to carry me and 
all my cargo. 

When I had gone through this work, I -was extremely de- 
lighted with it. The boat was really much bigger than ever 
I saw a canoe, that was made of one tree, in my life. Many a 
weary stroke it had cost, you may be sure. Now there re- 
mained nothing but to launch it ; and had I gotten it into the 
water, I make no question but I should have begun the maddest 
voyage, and the most unlikely to be performed, that ever was 
undertaken. 

But all my devices to get it to the water failed. It lay 
about one hundred yards from the creek ; but a little hill in- 
tervened. To take away this discouragement, I resolved to dig 
and make a declivity ; but when that was done I could no 
more stir tlie canoe than I could the other boat. Then I 
measured the distance, and resolved to cut a canal, to bring 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


73 


the water up to the canoe, seeing I could not bring the canoe 
down to the water. I began this canal ; but when I calculated 
how deep it was to be dug, how broad, how the stuff was to 
be thrown out, I found it would be ten or twelve years before 
I could go through with it ; for the shore lay so high that at 
the upper end the canal must be at least twenty feet deep. So 
at length, though with great reluctance, I gave this attempt 
over also. 

In the middle of this work I finished my fourth year, and 
kept my anniversary with devotion, and with comfort ; for, by 
a constant study of the Word of God, I had gained a different 
knowledge from what I had before. I was removed from all the 
wickedness of the world here. I had nothing to covet, for I 
had all I was now capable of enjoying ; I was lord of the whole 
manor; or, if I pleased, I might call myself king or emperor 
over the whole country which I had possession of. There were 
no rivals ; I had none to dispute sovereignty with me. I had 
enough to eat and to supply my wants, and what was all the 
rest to me ? If I killed more flesh than I could eat, the dog 
must eat it, or the vermin ; if I sowed more corn than I could 
eat, it must be spoiled ; the trees that I cut down were lying to 
rot on the ground ; I could make no use of them except for fuel. 
The most covetous, griping miser in the world would have been 
cured of the vice of covetousness, if he had been in my place ; 
for I possessed infinitely more than I knew what to do with. 
I had, as I hinted before, a parcel of money. Alas ! there the 
sorry, useless stuff lay ! I had no manner of business for it ; 
and I often thought I would have given it all for sixpenny- 
worth of turnip and carrot seed, or. for a handful of peas and 
beans and a bottle of ink. As it was, I had not the least bene- 
fit from it ; but there it lay in a drawer, and grew mouldy 
with the damp of the cave, and if I had had the drawer full of 
diamonds, it had been the same, they had been of no value to 
me, because of no use. 


74 


ADVENTURES ^OF 


I had now brought my state of life to be much eg-sier than it 
was at first, and much easier to my mind, as well as to my 
body. I frequently sat down to meat with thankfulness, and 
admired the hand of God’s providence, which had thus spread 
my table in the wilderness. I learned to look more upon the 
bright side of my condition, and less upon the dark side, and 
to consider what I enjoyed rather than what I wanted ; and 
this gave me sometimes such secret comforts that I cannot 
express them. All our discontents appeared to me to spring 
from the want of thankfulness for what we have. 

Another reflection of great use to me was to compare my 
present condition with what I expected it would be. I spent 
whole hours in representing to myself, how I must have acted 
if I had got nothing out of the ship ; how I should have lived 
like a mere savage ; that if I had killed a goat or a fowl, by 
any contrivance, I had no way to part the flesh from the skin 
or to cut it up ; but must gnaw it with my teeth, and pull it 
with my claws, like a beast. 

I had now been here so long that many things which I 
brought on shore for my help were either quite gone, or very 
much wasted and nearly spent. My ink had been gone some 
time, all but a very little, w^hich I eked out with water, till 
it was so pale it scarce left any appearance of black upon the 
paper. 

The biscuit which I brought out of the ship I had hus- 
banded to the last degree, allowing myself but one cake of 
bread a day ; and yet I was quite without bread for a year 
before I got any corn to use. My clothes too began to decay 
mightily. As to linen, I had had none a good while, except 
some checkered shirts which I found in the chests of the sea- 
men, and which I carefully preserved. There were also several 
thick watch-coats° of the seamen’s, but they were too hot to 
wear. 

I began to consider putting the few rags I had, wdiich I called 


ROBINSON' CRUSOE 


75 


clothes, into some order. I had worn out all the waistcoats, 
and my business was now to try if I could make jackets out of 
the great watch-coats and with such other materials as I had. 
So I set to work, tailoring, or rather, indeed, botching, and I 
made two or three waistcoats. 

I saved the skins of all the creatures that I killed, I mean 
four-footed ones, and I had them hung up stretched out with 
sticks in the sun, by which means some of them were so dry 
and hard that they were fit for little, but others were very 
useful. The first thing I made of these was a cap for my 
head, with the hair on the outside, to shoot off the rain ; and 
I made me a suit of clothes wholly of those skins — that is 
to say, a waistcoat, and breeches open at the knees, and both 
loose, for they were rather to keep me cool than to keep me 
warm. I must not omit to acknowledge that they were 
wretchedly made ; for if I was a bad carpenter, I was a worse 
tailor. However, they were such as I did very well with, and 
when I was abroad, if it happened to rain, the hair of the 
waistcoat and cap being outermost, I was kept dry. 

I spent a great deal of time and pains to make an umbrella. 
I spoiled two or three before I contrived one to my mind. The 
main difficulty was to make it let down. I could make it 
spread, but if it did not let down too, it would not be portable 
for me any way except over my head. However, at last I 
made one to answer. I covered it with skins, the hair up- 
ward, so that it cast off the rain like a roof and kept off the 
sun so effectually that I could walk out in the hottest of the 
weather, and when I had no need of it I could close it, and carry 
it under my arm. 


re 


ADVENTURES OF 


CHAPTER VIII 

I hew out a second boat, get it into the water, and begin a voyage 
around the island — A swift current carries me a great distance to 
sea — With difficulty I get back, and being landed on the north 
side of the island I return home on foot — I capture some young 
goats and fence them a pasturage — Of my dress and appearance — 
lam surprised with the print of a man’s naked foot on the shore — 
I strengthen my defences. 

I CANNOT say that, after this, for five years, any extraordinary 
thing happened to me, but I lived on in the same course, and 
place, as before. The chief things I was employed in were my 
yearly labor with my barley and rice, and curing my raisins — of 
all which I kept up just enough to have one year’s provision 
beforehand. Besides this, and my daily labor of going out 
with my gun, I made a canoe, and by digging a canal to it six 
feet wide and four feet deep, I brought it into the creek, 
almost half a mile. I could not find a tree proper for it in a 
place where I could get the water to it at any less distance ; and 
though I was nearly two years about it, yet I never grudged my 
labor, in hopes of having a boat to go off to sea at last. 

My little periagua was finished, yet the size of it was not at 
all answerable to the design which I had in view when I made 
the first ; I mean of venturing over to the mainland which was 
more than forty miles away. But, as I had a boat, my next 
design was to make a tour round the island. For this purpose 
I fitted up a little mast in my boat, and made a sail out of 
some of the pieces of the ship’s sails which lay in store, and of 
which I had a great stock. 

Having fitted my mast and sail, and tried the boat, I found 
she went very well. Then I made lockers at each end to put 
provisions, ammunition, etc., into, to be kept dry, either from 
rain or the spray of the sea ; and a little, long, hollow place 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


77 


I cut in the inside of the boat, where I could lay my gun, mak- 
ing a flap to hang down over it, to keep it dry. 

I flxed my umbrella in the stern, like a mast, to stand over 
my head, and keep the heat of the sun off me, like an awn- 
ing ; and thus I every now and then took a little voyage upon 
the sea ; but never went far out, nor far from the creek. At 
last, being eager to view the circumference of my little kingdom, 
I victualled my ship for a voyage, putting in two dozen of my 
loaves of barley-bread, an earthen pot full of parched rice (a 
food I ate a great deal of), half a goat, and powder with shot 
for killing more, and two large watch-coats, of those which I 
had saved out of the seamen’s chests. These I took, one to lie 
upon and the other to cover me in the night. 

It was the 6th of November, in the sixth year of my reign, 
or my captivity, which you please, that I set out on this voy- 
age, and I found it much longer than I expected ; for though 
the island itself was not very large, yet when I came to the 
east side of it, I found a great ledge of rocks reaching out about 
two leagues into the sea, some above water, some under it ; and 
beyond that a shoal of sand, lying dry half a league more. 

When I discovered the ledge of rocks, I came to anchor ; for 
I had made a kind of an anchor with a piece of a broken grap- 
pling which I got out of the ship. Having secured my boat, 
I took my gun and went on shore, and climbing a hill, which 
seemed to overlook the rocks, I saw the full extent of them. 

In viewing the sea from that hill, I perceived a most furious 
current, which ran to the east, and came close to the point. I 
took the more notice of it, because I saw there would be some 
danger that when I came into it, I might be carried out to sea 
by the strength of it, and not be able to reach the island again. 
There was the same current on the other side of the island, 
only it set off at a farther distance, and made a strong eddy 
near the shore. So I would have nothing to do but to get out 
of the first current, and I should presently be in an eddy. 


78 


ADVENTURES OF 


I lay here two days, because the wind blowing pretty fresh 
just contrary to the current made- a great breach of the sea, on 
the point. Hence, it wa§ not safe for me to keep close to the 
shore for the breach, nor to go far off, because of the stream. 

The third day, in the morning, the wind having abated over- 
night, I ventured. But no sooner was I come to the point, 
though I was not my boat’s length from the shore, than I found 
myself in a great depth of water, and in a current like the 
sluice of a mill. This current carried my boat along with 
such violence that I could not keep her so much as on the 
edge of it ; but I found it hurried me farther and farther out 
from the eddy, which w^as on my left hand. There was no 
wind stirring to help me, and all that I could do wdth my 
paddles signified nothing. Now I began to give myself over 
for lost ; for, as the current was on both sides of the island, I 
knew in a few leagues’ distance they must join, and then I was 
irrecoverably gone ; with no prospect before me except of per- 
ishing, not by the sea, for that was calm enough, but by 
starving. I had, indeed, found a tortoise on the shore, as big 
almost as I could lift, and had gotten it into the boat ; and I 
had a great jar of fresh water; but what was all this to being 
driven into the vast ocean, where there was no shore, no main- 
land or island, for a thousand leagues at least ? 

Now I looked back upon my desolate, solitary island as 
the most pleasant place in the world, and all the happiness my 
heart could wish for was to be there again. I stretched out my 
hands to it, with eager desire. “ Oh happy desert ! ” said I, 
“ I shall never see thee more. Oh miserable creature ! whither 
am I going? ” 

It is scarcely possible to imagine the consternation I was in, 
being driven from my beloved island, and in despair of ever 
regaining it. However, I worked hard and kept my boat as 
much toward the eddy as I possibly could. About noon, I 
thought I felt a breeze in my face, springing up from the south- 


ROBi:N^SOy CRUSOE 


T9 


east. This cheered my heart a little, and especially when, in 
about half an hour more, it blew a gentle gale. By this time 
I was at a frightful distance from the island ; and had the 
least cloudy or hazy weather intervened, I had been undone; 
for I had no compass on board, and should never have known 
how to have steered tow^ard the island, if I had lost sight 
of it. But the weather continuing clear, I applied myself to 
hoist my mast and spread my sail, and then I stood away 
to the north, to get out of the current. 

Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began to 
stretch away, I saw by the clearness of the water some altera- 
tion of the current was near; for where the current was so 
strong the water was foul ; but perceiving the water clear, I 
found the current abated ; and presently I discerned to the 
east, at about half a mile, a breach of the sea upon some rocks. 
These rocks caused the current to part, and the main stress of 
it ran away more southerly. The other made a strong eddy, 
which ran back to the northwest, with a very sharp stream. 

They who know what it is to be rescued from thieves just 
going to murder them, or wdio have been in like extremities, 
may guess what my joy w^as, and how gladly I put my boat 
into the stream of the eddy ; and the wind also freshening, how 
gladly I spread my sail to it. This eddy carried me back, directly 
toward the island, but about two leagues more to the north- 
ward than the current lay which carried me away ; so that 
when I came near the island, I found myself off the northern 
shore of it, that is to say, the end opposite to that which I 
went out from. 

When I had made something more than a league of way by 
help of this current, I found it was spent, and served me no 
farther. However, being between two great currents, and 
having still a breeze of wind fair for me, I kept on steering 
directly for the island, though not making such fresh way as I 
did before, and about four o’clock in the evening got to land. 


80 


ADVENTURES OF 


I brought my boat close to the shore, in a little cove that 
I spied under some trees, and laid me down to sleep, being 
quite spent with the labor and fatigue of the voyage. 

I was now at a great loss how to get home with my boat ! 
I had run too much hazard to think of attempting it by the 
way I went out ; and what might be at the other side of the 
island I knew not, nor had I any mind to run more ventures. 
So I resolved on the next morning to make my way westward 
along the shore, to see if there was a creek where I might lay 
up my frigate in safety so as to have her again, if I wanted 
her. In about three miles, coasting the shore, I came to a very 
good inlet, which narrowed to a little brook, where I found a 
convenient harbor for my boat. She lay as if she had been in 
a dock made on purpose for her. Here having stowed my boat 
safe, I went on shore to look about me, and see where I was. 

I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where I 
had been before, when I travelled on foot to that shore. So, 
taking nothing out of my boat but my gun and umbrella, for it 
was exceedingly hot, I began my march. I reached my old 
bower in the evening, where I found everything as I left it ; 
for I always kept it in good order, being my country-house. 

I got over the fence, and lay down in the shade to rest my 
limbs, for I was very weary, and fell asleep. But judge, if 
you can, what a surprise I must have been in when I was 
awaked out of my sleep by a voice, calling me by my name 
several times. “ Robin, Robin, Robin Crusoe ! poor Robin 
Crusoe ! Where are you, Robin Crusoe ? Where are you ? 
Where have you been ? ” 

I was so dead asleep that I did not awake thoroughly at first ; 
and, dozing between sleeping and waking, thought I dreamed 
that somebody spoke to me ; but as the voice continued to 
repeat, “ Robin Crusoe ! Robin Crusoe ! ” I began to awake 
more perfectly, and was dreadfully frighted, and started up in 
the utmost consternation. But no sooner were my eyes open, 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


81 


than I saw my Poll sitting on the top of the hedge, and im- 
mediately knew it was he that spoke to me ; for just in such a 
bemoaning language I used to talk to him. He had learned it 
so perfectly that he would sit on my finger, and lay his bill 
close to my face, and cry, “ Poor Robin Crusoe ! Where are 
you ? Where have you been ? How came you here ? ” and 
such other things as I had taught him. 

However, even though I knew it was the parrot, and that 
indeed it could be nobody else, it was a good while before I 
could compose myself. I was amazed how the bird got thither. 
Holding out my hand, I called him by his name, and the sociable 
creature came to me, and continued talking, as if he was over- 
joyed to see me, and I carried him home. 

I would have been very glad to have had my boat again on 
my side of the island ; but I knew not how it was practicable 
to get it about. As to the east side of the island, which I had 
gone round, my very heart would shrink to think of it. The 
other side of the island I did not know ; but supposing I might 
run the same risk there of being carried from the island, I con- 
tented myself to be without any boat, though it had been the 
product of so many months’ labor to make it, and of so many 
more to get it into the sea. 

In this government of my temper I remained nearly a year ; 
and my thoughts being very much composed as to my con- 
dition, I lived very happily in all things, except that of society. 
I improved myself in this time in all the mechanic exercises 
which my necessities put me to ; and I arrived at an unexpected 
perfection in my earthenware, and contrived a wheel, which 
made things round and shapable to look on. But I think I was 
never more vain of my own performance, or more joyful for any- 
thing I found out, than for being able to make a tobacco-pipe ; 
and though it was a very ugly, clumsy thing, and burnt red, 
like other earthenware, yet as it was hard and firm, and would 
draw the smoke, I was exceedingly comforted with it, for I had 

G 


82 


ADVENTURES OF 


been always used to smoking. There were pipes in the ship, but 
I forgot them at first, not thinking that there was tobacco in 
the island ; and afterward, when I searched the ship again, 
I could not come at any pipes at all. 

In my wickerware also I improved much, and made abun- 
dance of necessary baskets, not handsome, yet such as were 
very handy and convenient for laying things up in, or fetching 
things home. For example, if I killed a goat, I could hang it 
up in a tree, and dress it, and cut it in pieces, and bring it home 
in a basket ; and the like by a turtle. Also, large, deep baskets 
were receivers for my corn, which I always rubbed out as soon 
as it was dry. 

I began now to seriously consider what I must do when I 
should have no more powder; that is to say, how I should kill any 
goats. I had, in the third year of my being here, kept a young 
kid, and bred it up tame ; and as I could never find it in my heart 
to kill the creature, it died at last of mere age. But being now 
in the eleventh year of my residence, and my ammunition get- 
ting low, I set myself to study some art to trap the goats, to 
see whether I could catch some of them alive. I made snares, 
and I do believe the goats were more than once taken in them ; 
but my tackle was not good, and I always found the snares 
broken, and my bait devoured. At length, I dug several large 
pits in the earth, in places where I had observed the goats fed, 
and, not to trouble you with particulars, going one morning to 
see my pits, I found in one of them a large old li e-goat ; and in 
one of the others three kids, a male and two females. 

As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him. He 
was so fierce, I durst not go into the pit to bring him away 
alive. So I let him out, and he ran away as if he had been 
frighted out of his wits. 

Then I went to the three kids, and taking them one by one, 
I tied them with strings together, and 'with some difficulty 
brought them all home. It was a good while before they 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


83 


would feed ; but throwing them some green barley, it tempted 
them, and they began to be tame. It presently occurred to me 
that I must keep the tame from the wild, or else my kids would 
run away when they grew up ; and the only method for this 
was to have some piece of ground, well fenced either with 
hedge or pale, that those within might not break out, or those 
without break in. 

This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands ; yet as 
I saw there was an absolute necessity for doing it, I looked for 
a piece of ground where there was likely to be herbage for the 
goats to eat, water for them to drink, and trees to keep them 
from the sun. I pitched upon a plain, open piece of meadow 
land, which had two or three little rills of fresh water in it, and 
at one end was very woody. I began enclosing this piece of 
ground in such a manner, that my hedge must have been at 
least two miles about. Nor was the madness of it so great 
as to the compass, for if it was ten miles about, I was like to 
have time enough to do the work ; but I did not consider that 
my goats would be as wild in so much compass as if they had 
had the whole island, and I should have so much room to chase 
them in that I should never catch them. 

My hedge was begun and carried on, I believe, about fifty 
yards, when this thought occurred to me ; so I stopped short, 
and resolved to enclose a piece about one hundred and fifty 
yards in length, and one hundred yards in breadth. As my 
flock increased, I could add more ground to my enclosure. 
This was acting with some prudence, and I went to work with 
courage. I was three months hedging in the first piece ; and, 
till I had it done, I tethered the three kids in the best part 
of it, as near me as possible, to make them familiar ; and very 
often I would carry them some ears of barley, or a handful of 
rice, and feed them out of my hand ; so that, after my enclosure 
was finished, and I let -them loose, they would follow me up 
and down, bleating after me for a handful of corn, 


84 


ADVENTURES OF 


This answered my end, and in about a year and a half I had 
a flock of twelve goats, kids and all; and in two years more I had 
three-and-forty. After that I enclosed five pieces of ground to 
feed them in, with little pens to drive them into, to take them 
as I wanted them, and gates out of one piece of ground into 
another. Now I not only had goat’s flesh to feed on when 
I pleased, but milk too — a thing which in my beginning I did 
not so much as think of, and which, when it came into my 
thoughts, was an agreeable surprise. I had sometimes a gallon 
or two of milk in a day, and after a great many essays and 
miscarriages, I made both butter and cheese, and never lacked 
them afterward. 

It would have made a Stoic smile to have seen me and 
my little family sit down to dinner. Poll, as if he had been 
my favorite, was the only person permitted to talk to me ; my 
dog, who was now grown very old, sat always at my right 
hand ; and two cats, one on one side the table, and one on 
the other, expecting now and then a bit from my hand, as a 
mark of special favor. These were not the two cats which I 
brought on shore at first, for both of those were dead ; but the 
cats multiplied and these were two which I preserved tame ; 
whereas the rest ran wild in the woods. They would often 
come into my house, and plunder me, till at last I was obliged 
to shoot them, and did kill a great many. 

I was impatient, as I have observed, to have the use of my 
boat ; and therefore sometimes I sat contriving ways to get her 
around the island, and I had a strange uneasiness to go to 
the point of the island where I went up the hill to see how 
the shore lay. This inclination increased every day, and at 
length I travelled thither, following the edge of the shore. 
Had any persons in England met such a man as I was, it must 
either have frighted them, or raised a great deal of laughter : 
and I could not but smile at the notion of my travelling 
through Yorkshire in such a dress. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


85 


I had a great high shapeless cap, made of goat’s skin, with 
a flap hanging down behind, as well to keep the sun from me 
as to prevent the rain from running into my neck. 

I had a short jacket of goat’s skin, the skirts coming down to 
about the middle of the thighs, and a pair of open-kneed 
breeches of the same. The breeches were made of the skin 
of an old he-goat, whose hair hung down such a length on either 
side, that it reached to the middle of my legs. Stockings and 
shoes I had none, but had made me a pair of somethings, I 
scarce knew what to call them, like buskins, to flap over my 
legs, and lace on either side like spatterdashes,® but of a most 
barbarous shape, as indeed were all the rest of my clothes. 

I had on a broad belt of goat’s skin, which I drew together 
with two thongs of the same ; and in a kind of frog on either 
side of this, instead of a sword and dagger, hung a little saw 
and a hatchet. I had another belt not so broad, which hung 
over my shoulder ; and at the end of it, under my left arm, 
hung two pouches, both made of goat’s skin, in one of which 
w'as my powder, in the other my shot. At my back I carried 
my basket, on my shoulder my gun, and over my head a 
great clumsy, ugly, goat-skin umbrella, but which, after all, 
was the most necessary thing I had about me next to my gun. 
As for my face, the color of it was not so mulatto-like as one 
might expect from a man not at all careful of it, and living 
within nine or ten degrees of the equator. My beard I had 
once suffered to grow till it was about a quarter of a yard 
long; but as I had both scissors and razors sufficient, I had 
cut it pretty short, except what grew on my upper lip, which 
I had trimmed into a large pair of Mahometan whiskers, such 
as I had seen worn by some Turks at Sallee. Of these mus- 
tachios, I will not say they were long enough to hang my hat 
on, but they were of a length and shape monstrous enough, 
and such as in England would have passed for frightful. 

I went my new journey, and was out five or six days. 


86 


ADVENTURES OF 


I travelled along the seashore, directly to the place where I 
first brought my boat to anchor to get up on the rocks ; and 
then I climbed the same height that I was on before. Look- 
ing forward to the point of tlie rocks which I was obliged to 
double with my boat, I was surprised to find the sea all 
smooth and quiet — no rippling, no motion, no current, any 
more there than in other places. 

I was at a strange loss to understand this, and resolved 
to spend some time in observing it, to see if nothing from the 
sets of the tide had occasioned it. I was presently convinced 
that the tide of ebb setting from the west, and joining with the 
waters from some great river, must be the occasion of this 
current ; and that according as the wind blew more forcibly 
from the west or from the north, this current came near, or 
went farther from the shore of the island ; for, waiting there- 
abouts till evening, I went up to the rock again, and then the 
tide of ebb being made, I plainly saw the current. 

This observation convinced me that I had nothing to do but 
to observe the ebbing and the flowing of the tide, and I might 
very easily bring my boat around the island ; but I had such 
terror upon my spirits at the remembrance of the danger I had 
been in, that I could not think of it. 

You are to understand that now I had two plantations in 
the island. One was my little fortification under the rock, 
with the cave behind, which by this time I had enlarged into 
several apartments. The driest and largest apartment had a 
door out beyond where my wall joined to the rock and was all 
filled up with large earthen pots, and fourteen or fifteen great 
baskets, which would hold five or six bushels each. Here I 
laid up my stores of provisions, especially my corn. As for 
my wall, made with long stakes or piles, those piles grew all 
like trees, and were by this time so big, and spread so very 
much, that there was not the least appearance of any habi- 
tation behind them. 


ROBmSON CRUSOE 


87 


Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther from the 
sea, lay two pieces of corn land, which I kept cultivated and 
sowed. 

Besides, I had my country-seat. I kept the hedge which 
circled it constantly in repair to its usual height, and the 
ladder standing always on the inside. The trees, which at 
first were stakes, were now grown very firm and tall, and so 
cut that they might spread and grow thick and wild, and make 
the more agreeable shade. In the middle I had my tent, being 
a piece of a sail spread over poles set up for that purpose ; and 
under this I had made a couch, with the skins of the creatures 
I had killed, and with other soft things, and a blanket laid on 
them, and a great watch-coat to cover me ; and here, whenever 
I had occasion, I took up my habitation. 

Adjoining this, I had enclosures for a part of my goats ; 
and as I had taken an inconceivable deal of pains to fence this 
gi'ound, I was anxious to see the fence kept entire, lest the goats 
should break through. I never left off till I had stuck the 
outside of the hedge so full of small stakes, that it was rather 
a pale than a hedge, and there was scarce room to put a hand 
through. Afterw^ard when those stakes grew, as they all did in 
the next rainy season, they made the enclosure strong like a 
wall. 

In this place also I had my grapes growing, which I prin- 
cipally depended on for my winter store of raisins, and which 
I never failed to preserve very carefully, as the best and most 
agreeable dainty of my whole diet. Indeed, they were not 
agreeable only, but nourishing, and refreshing to the last 
degree. 

As this was half-way between my other habitation and the 
place where I had laid up my boat, I generally stopped here on 
my way thither. I used frequently to visit my boat ; and I 
kept all things about, or belonging to her, in very good order. 
Sometimes I went out in her to divert myself, but scarcely ever 


88 


ADVENTURES OF 


above a stone’s cast or two from the shore, I was so apprehen- 
sive of being hurried out of my knowledge again by the cur- 
rents or winds, or other accident. 

It happened one day, about noon, going toward my boat, I 
was exceedingly surprised with the print of a man’s naked foot 
on the shore, which was very plain to be seen on the sand. I 
stood like one thunderstruck, or as if I had seen an apparition. 
I listened, I looked round me, but I could hear nothing, nor 
see anything. I went to rising ground, to look farther. I 
went up the shore, and down the shore, but I could see 
no other impression except that one. I went to it again 
to observe if it might not be my fancy; but there w'as ex- 
actly the print of a foot — toes, heel, and every part of a foot. 
How it came thither I knew not, nor could in the least imag- 
ine. But after innumerable fluttering thoughts like a man 
perfectly confused and out of himself, I came home to my forti- 
fication, not feeling the ground I went on, dreadfully tenified, 
looking behind me at every two or three steps, and fancying 
every stump at a distance to be a man. Nor is it possible to 
describe how many various shapes my affrighted imagination 
represented things to me in ; how many wild ideas were formed 
every moment in my fancy, and what strange unaccountable 
whimseys came into my thoughts by the way. 

When I got to my castle (for so I called it ever after this) I 
fled into it like one pursued. Whether I went over by the 
ladder, or went in at the hole in the rock, which I called a 
door, I cannot remember ; for never frighted hare fled to cover, 
or fox to earth, with more terror of mind than I to this retreat. 

I had no sleep that night. The farther I was from the 
occasion of my fright, the greater my apprehensions were, 
which is something contrary to the nature of such things, and 
especially to the usual practice of all creatures in fear ; but I 
was so embarrassed with my own frightful ideas of the thing, 
that I formed nothing but dismal imaginations to myself, even 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


89 


though I was now a great way off it. • Sometimes I fancied it 
was done by the devil ; and reason joined in this supposition : 
for how was it possible a man should come there ? But then it 
was preposterous to think that Satan should take human shape 
in such a place, where there could be no manner of occasion for 
it but to leave the print of his foot behind him. I considered 
that the devil might have found out abundance of other ways 
to have terrified me than this of the single print of a foot ; 
that as I lived quite on the other side of the island, he would 
never have been so simple as to leave a mark in a place where 
it was ten thousand to one whether I should ever see it or not, 
and in the sand, too, where the first surge of the sea, upon a 
high wind, would have effaced it entirely. 

Abundance of such things as these assisted to argue me out 
of all apprehensions of its being the devil ; and I presently 
concluded that it must be some more dangerous creature ; that 
it must be some of the savages of the mainland, who had 
wandered out to sea in their canoes, and driven by the currents 
or contrary winds, had made the island, and had been on shore, 
but were gone away again to sea : being as loath, perhaps, to 
stay in this desolate island as I would have been to have them. 

While these reflections were rolling upon my mind, I was 
very thankful that I was not thereabouts at the time the 
savages landed. Then terrible thoughts racked my imagination 
about their having found my boat, and that, if so, they would 
certainly come again in greater numbers, and devour me ; that 
if they should not find me, yet they would find my enclosure, 
destroy my corn, and carry away all my flock of tame goats, 
and I should perish at last of want. 

I reproached myself with my laziness, that would not sow 
any more corn one year than would just serve me till the next 
season, as if no accident could intervene to prevent my enjoy- 
ing the crop that was upon the ground ; and this I thought so 
just a reproof, that I resolved for the future to have two or 


90 


ADVENTURES OF 


three years’ corn beforehand, so that, whatever happened, I 
might not perish for want of bread. 

In the middle of these cogitations, it came into my thoughts, 
that all this might be a mere chimera of my own, and that this 
footprint might be the mark of my own foot, when I came on 
shore from my boat. Why might I not come that way from 
the boat, as well as go that way to the boat ? I considered that 
I could by no means tell for certain where I had trod, and where 
I had not ; and that if this was only the print of my own foot, I 
had played the part of those fools who try to make stories of 
spectres and apparitions, and then are themselves frighted at 
them more than anybody else. 

Now I took courage, and peeped abroad again. I had not 
stirred out of my castle for three days and nights, so that I be- 
gan to be short of provisions ; for I had little or nothing within 
doors but some barley-cakes and water. Then I knew that 
my goats needed to be milked too, which usually was my 
evening diversion ; and that the poor creatures must be in 
great pain and inconvenience for want of it. Heartening my- 
self, therefore, I went to milk my flock; but to see with what 
fear I went forward, how often I looked behind me, how I was 
ready, every now and then, to run for my life, it would have 
made any one have thought I was haunted with an evil con- 
science. 

However, as I went down thus two or three days, and hav- 
ing seen nothing, I began to be a little bolder, and presently 
went to the shore again to see this print of a foot, and measure 
it by my own. But when I came to the place, it appeared 
evident that when I laid up my boat, I could not possibly have 
been on shore there. Secondly, when I came to measure the 
mark with my own foot, I found my foot not so large by a 
great deal. Both these things filled my head with new imagi- 
nations, and gave me the vapors again, so that I shook with 
cold like one in an ague ; and I went home, fllled with the 


EOBIJVSOJSr CRUSOE 


91 


belief that some man or men had been on the island, and I might 
be surprised before I was aware ; and what course to take for 
my security I knew not. 

The first thing I proposed to myself was to throw down my 
enclosures, and turn all my tame goats wild into the woods, 
that the enemy might not find them ; then to dig up my two 
cornfields, that they might not find such a grain there ; then to 
demolish my bower and tent, that they might not see any ves- 
tiges of habitation, and be prompted to seek out the persons 
inhabiting. 

These were the subjects of the first night’s cogitations, after 
I was come home again, while the apprehensions which had 
so overrun my mind were fresh upon me. This confusion of 
my thoughts kept me wakeful all night ; but in the morning I 
fell asleep ; and I slept very soundly, and awaked much better 
composed than I had been before. Now I began to think se- 
dately ; and I concluded that this island which was so exceeding 
pleasant and fruitful, was not so entirely abandoned as I had 
imagined ; that sometimes boats from the mainland, either with 
design, or driven by cross winds, might come to this place. I 
had lived here fifteen years now, and had not met with the 
least shadow or figure of any people ; and, if at any time they 
should be driven here, it was probable they went away as soon 
as ever they could. The most I could suggest any danger from 
was from such casual accidental landing ; and therefore, I had 
nothing to do but to have some safe retreat. 

I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave so large as 
to bring a door through beyond where my fortification joined to 
the rock. Upon maturely considering this, I resolved to build 
a second fortification, in a semicircle just where I had planted a 
double row of trees about twelve years before ; these trees hav- 
ing been planted so thick, they wanted but few piles driven be- 
tween them, and my wall would be finished. Not content with 
that I thickened the wall with pieces of timber, old cables, and 


92 


ADVENTURES OF 


everything I could think of, leaving in it seven little holes, about 
as big as I might put my arm out at ; and through'the seven 
holes I contrived to plant the muskets, of which I got seven to 
shore out of the ship. These I planted like cannon, and fitted 
them into frames, that held them so I could fire all the seven 
guns in two minutes’ time. The wall I was many a weary 
month finishing, and yet never thought myself safe till it was 
done. 

Afterward, I stuck all the ground without my wall, for a 
great way, as full with stakes of the osier-like wood, which I 
found so apt to grow, as they could well stand ; insomuch that 
I believe I set nearly twenty thousand of them, leaving a pretty- 
large space between them and my wall, that I might have room 
to see an enemy, and assailants might have no shelter from the 
young trees, if they attempted to approach my outer wall. 

In two years’ time, I had a thick grove ; and in five or six 
years’ time I had a wood before my dwelling grown so monstrous 
thick and strong that it was perfectly impassable ; and no one 
would ever imagine that there was any habitation behind it. 
As for the way which I proposed to go in or out (for I left no 
avenue), it was by setting up a ladder to a ledge of the rock 
which left room to stand on and draw the ladder up and place 
it so it would reach to the top. When the ladder was taken 
down, no man living could come do^vn to me without mischief- 
ing himself. 

Thus I took all the measures human prudence could suggest 
for my own preservation. 


EOBINSO]^ CRUSOE 


93 


CHAPTER IX 

I place part of my herd of goats in a more retired part of my domin- 
ions — I find on the shore skulls and other bones of human bodies 
where the savages have feasted on their fellow-creatures — Of my 
inventions to destroy some of the cannibals — I discover a natural 
cave in the interior of the island. 

While this was doing, I was not altogether careless of my 
other affairs; for I had great concern for my little herd of 
goats. They not only began to be suflBcient for me, without 
the expense of powder and shot, but also abated the fatigue of 
my hunting after the wild ones ; and I was loath to lose the 
advantage of them, and to have them all to nurse up over again. 

I coidd think of but two ways to preserve them. One was to 
dig a cave, and to drive them into it every night. The other 
was to enclose two or three little bits of land, remote from one 
another, and much concealed, where I might keep about half 
a dozen young goats in each place ; so that if any disaster 
happened to the flock in general, I might be able to raise 
more with little trouble : and this, though it would require a 
good deal of labor, I thought was the most rational design. 

Accordingly, I spent some time to find the most retired parts 
of the island ; and I pitched on one which was as private as my 
heart could wish. It was a little damp piece of ground, in the 
middle of the thick woods, where I almost lost myself once, 
endeavoring to come back from the eastern part of the island. 
There I found a clear piece of land of nearly three acres. I im- 
mediately went to work, and, in less than a month’s time, I had 
so fenced it round that my flock, which was not so wild now as 
at first, would be well secured in it. Without further delay, I 
removed ten she-goats, and two he-goats, to this piece. After 
I had thus secured one part of my little living stock, I went 
about the whole island, searching for another private place to 


94 


ADVENTURES OF 


make such another deposit ; when, wandering more to the 
west point of the island than I had ever done yet, and looking 
out to sea, I thought I saw a boat at a great distance. I had 
found a perspective glass in one of the seamen’s chests which I 
saved out of our ship, but I had it not about me ; and though I 
looked till my eyes were not able to look any longer, whether 
it was a boat or not, I do not know ; but I resolved to go no 
more out without the perspective glass in my pocket. 

When I was come down the hill to the end of the island, 
where, indeed, I had never been before, I ’was presently con- 
vinced that the seeing the print of a man’s foot w^as not such 
a strange thing in the island as I had imagined ; and that it 
was a special providence that I was cast upon the side of the 
island where the savages never came, for I was perfectly con- 
founded and amazed ; nor is it possible for me to express the 
horror of my mind, at seeing the shore spread with skulls, and 
other bones of human bodies ; and particularly, I observed a 
place where there had been a fire made, and a circle dug in the 
earth, where the savage wretches had sat down to their inhuman 
feastings upon the bodies of their fellow-creatures. 

I w'as so astonished with the sight of these things that I en- 
tertained no notions of any danger to myself for a long while. 
All my apprehensions were buried in the thoughts of such 
brutality, which, though I had heard of often, yet I never had 
so near a view of before. In short, I turned away my face 
from the horrid spectacle ; my stomach grew sick, and I was 
just at the point of fainting, when nature discharged the dis- 
order from my stomach ; and having vomited with uncommon 
violence, I was a little relieved, but could not bear to stay in 
the place a moment. So I got me up the hill with all the 
speed I could. 

I went home to my castle, and began to be much easier now, 
as to the safety of my circumstances, than I had been before : 
for I observed that these w’retches never came to the island in 


EOBmSON CRUSOE 


95 


search of what they could get ; having often, no doubt, been up 
in the woody part of it, without finding anything to their pur- 
pose. I had been here almost eighteen years, and I might be 
eighteen years more as entirely concealed as I was now, if I did 
not discover myself to them, which I had no manner of occasion 
to do ; it being my only business to keep myself entirely con- 
cealed where I was, unless I found a better sort of creatures 
than cannibals to make myself known to. 

Yet I entertained such an abhorrence of the savage wretches 
that I have been speaking of, and of the wretched custom of 
devouring and eating one another, that I continued pensive and 
sad, and kept close within my own circle for almost two years 
after this. When I say my own circle, I mean by it my three 
plantations, viz., my castle, my country-seat (as I called my 
bower), and my enclosure in the woods : nor did I so much as go 
to look after my boat. 

Time, however, and the satisfaction I had that I was in no 
danger of being discovered by these people, wore off* my uneasi- 
ness about them ; and I began to live in the same composed 
manner as before, only that I used more caution, and kept my 
eyes more about me ; and particularly, I was more cautious in 
firing my gun, lest any of them, being on the island, should 
happen to hear it. It was, therefore, a very good providence 
to me that I had furnished myself with a tame breed- of goats, 
and had no need to hunt any more about the woods, or shoot 
at them. If I did catch any of them after this, it was by traps 
and snares : so that for two years I believe I did not fire my 
gun once, though I never went without it ; and, as I had saved 
three pistols out of the ship, I always carried them with me, or 
at least two of them, sticking them in my goat-skin belt. Also 
I furbished up one of the great cutlasses, and made me a belt 
to put it on ; so that I was now a most formidable fellow to 
look at when I went abroad. 

The frights I had been in about the savages, and the concern 


96 


ADVENTURES OF 


I had been in for my preservation, had put a stop to the inven- 
tion of improvements for my own convenience. My invention 
now ran quite another way ; for I could think of nothing but 
how I might destroy some of these monsters in their cruel, 
bloody entertainment. 

I went so far in my imagination, that I employed several 
days to find proper places to put myself in ambuscade, to watch 
for them.' 

At length I found a place on the side of a hill, where I was 
satisfied I might securely wait till I saw their boats coming ; 
and might then convey raj self unseen into some thickets of 
trees, near the shore ; and there I might sit and observe all 
their doings, and take my full aim at their heads when they 
were so close together that it would be next to impossible that 
I should miss wounding three or four of them at the first shot. 
In this place, then, I prepared two muskets and my ordinary 
fowling-piece. The two muskets I loaded with a brace of slugs 
each, and four or five smaller bullets ; and the fowling-piece I 
loaded with nearly a handful of swan-shot. I also loaded my 
pistols with about four bullets each ; and in this posture, well 
provided with ammunition for a second and third charge, I 
prepared myself. 

After I had thus laid the scheme, I continually made my 
tour every morning to the top of the hill, which was from my 
castle about three miles, to observe if there were any boats on the 
sea, coming near the island ; but I began to tire of this hard 
duty, after I had for two months constantly kept watch, and 
came always back without any discovery ; and I began, with 
cooler and calmer thoughts, to consider what authority or call 
I had to be judge and executioner upon these men whom 
Heaven had thought fit, for so many ages, to allow to go on 
unpunished. I debated with myself thus : “ How do I know 
what God himself judges in this particular case h These peo- 
ple do not devour each other as a crime. It is not against 


ROBINSON- CRUSOE 


97 


their own consciences. They think it no more a crime to kill a 
captive taken in war than we do to kill an ox ; or to eat human 
flesh than we do to eat mutton.” 

When I considered this a little, it followed necessarily that 
these people were not murderers, in the sense that I had be- 
fore condemned them : and I began, by little and little, to 
conclude I had taken wrong measures in my resolution 
to attack the savages ; and that it was not my business to 
meddle with them, unless they first attacked me. Also if I 
did not kill all that should be on shore when I made my on- 
slaught, even a single one escaping would tell his country- 
people what had happened,' and they would come over by 
thousands to revenge the death of their fellows, and I should 
only bring on myself a certain destruction, which, at present, 
I had no manner of occasion for. 

Upon the whole, I concluded that I ought, neither in prin- 
ciple nor in policy, one way or other, to concern myself in this 
affair ; that my business was, by all possible means, to conceal 
myself from them, and not to leave the least sign by which they 
could guess there were any living creatures upon the island, of 
human shape. 

In this disposition I continued for nearly a year ; and so far 
was I from desiring an occasion for falling upon these wretches, 
that in all that time I never once went up the hill to see whether 
there were any of them in sight, or to know whether any of 
them had been on shore, that I might not be tempted to re- 
new my contrivances against them : only this I did ; I went 
and removed my boat, which I had on the other side of the 
island, and took it to the east end, and I ran it into a little cove 
under some high rocks, where I knew, by reason of the currents, 
the savages durst not come with their canoes. 

Besides this, I kept myself more retired than ever, and sel- 
dom went from my castle, except to milk my goats, and man- 
age my little flock in the wood, which was quite out of danger ; 

H 


98 


ADVENTURES OF 


for certain it is that these savage people, who sometimes visited 
this island, never wandered off from the coast, and I doubt not 
but they might have been several times on shore after my 
apprehensions of them had made me cautious. I looked back 
with some horror upon the thoughts of what my condition would 
have been, if I had been discovered before that ; when, un- 
armed, except with one gun, and that loaded often with small 
shot, I walked everywhere, peeping and peering about to see 
what I could get. What a surprise would I have been in, if, 
when I discovered the print of a man’s foot, I had instead seen 
fifteen or twenty savages, and found them pursuing me ! I had 
the care of my safety more now upon my hands than that of 
my food. I did not drive a nail, or chop a stick of wood for 
fear the noise should be heard. Above all, I was intolerably 
uneasy at making any fire, lest the smoke, which would be 
visible at a great distance, should betray me. For this reason, 
I removed that part of my business which required fire, such 
as burning of pots, into my new apartment in the woods : 
where, after I had been some time, I found a natural cave in 
the earth, which went in a vast way. I dare say, no savage, 
had he been at the mouth of it, would have been so hardy as 
to venture in ; nor, indeed, would any man, but one who, like 
me, wanted nothing so much as a safe retreat. 

The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of a great rock, 
where, by mere accident, I was cutting down some thick 
branches of trees to make charcoal ; and before I go on I must 
observe the reason of my making this charcoal. I was afraid 
of making a smoke about my habitation, and yet I could not 
live there without baking my bread, cooking my meat, etc. ; 
so I contrived to burn some wood here, as I had seen done in 
England, under turf, till it became dry coal. Then putting 
the fire out, I preserved the coal to carry home and use there 
without danger of smoke. 

But this is by the by. While I was cutting down some 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


99 


wood here, I perceived that, behind a very thick branch of 
low brushwood, there was a hollow place. I was curious to 
look into it ; and getting into the mouth of it, I found it was 
large enough for me to stand upright in : but I must confess 
that I made more haste out than I did in, when looking 
farther into the place I saw two shining eyes of some creature 
— whether devil or man I knew not. However, after a 
pause, I recovered, and began to tell myself that I might well 
think there was nothing in this cave more frightful than my- 
self. Upon this I took up a firebrand, and in I rushed with 
the stick flaming in my hand. I had not gone three steps in, 
when I was almost as much frightened as before ; for I heard 
a very loud sigh, like that of a man in pain, and it was followed 
by a broken noise, as of words half expressed, and then a deep 
sigh again. I stepped back, struck with such a surprise that 
it put me into a cold sweat, and if I had had a hat on my 
head, I will not answer for it that my hair might not have lifted 
it off. But plucking up my spirits as well as I could, and en- 
couraging myself a little with considering that the power and 
presence of God was everywhere, and was able to protect 
me, I stepped forward again, and by the dim light of the fire- 
brand, holding it up over my head, I saw lying on the ground 
a monstrous, frightful old he-goat, just making his will, as we 
say, gasping for life, and dying indeed of old age. I stirred 
him a little to see if I could get him out, but he was not able 
to raise himself. 

I now began to look round me, when I found the cave was 
very small. I observed there was a place that went in farther, 
but so low that, having no candle, I did not venture into it, 
but resolved to come again. 

Accordingly, the next day, I came provided with six large 
candles of my own making (for I made very good candles now 
of goats’ tallow, but was hard set for candle-wick, using some- 
times rags or rope-yam, and sometimes the dried rind of a weed 


LotG. 


100 


ADVENTURES OF 


like nettles) ; and going into this low place I was obliged to 
creep on all-fours almost ten yards. When I got through the 
strait, I found the roof rose nearly twenty feet ; and never had 
such a glorious sight been seen in the island, I dare say, as I 
saw round the sides and roof of this cave. The walls reflected 
a hundred thousand lights to me from my candle. What it was 
in the rock — whether diamonds, or other precious stones, or 
gold — I knew not. 

The floor was dry and level, and had some small loose gravel 
on it, so there was no nauseous or venomous creature to be 
seen, neither was there any damp or wet on the sides or roof. 
The only difiiculty was the entrance. However, as it was a 
place of security, and such a retreat as I wanted, I rejoiced at 
the discovery, and resolved, without delay, to bring some of 
those things which I was most anxious about to this place ! 
Particularly, I resolved to bring hither my magazine of powder, 
and all my spare arms ; viz., two fowling-pieces — for I had 
three in all — and three muskets — for of them I had eight 
in all, and I kept in my castle five, which stood ready mounted 
like pieces of cannon on my outmost- defence, and were ready 
also to take out upon any expedition. 

On removing my ammunition, I happened to open the barrel 
of powder which I took out of the sea, and which had been 
wet, and I found that the water had penetrated three or four 
inches into the powder, which caking and growing hard, had 
preserved the inside like a kernel in the shell, so that I had 
nearly sixty pounds of very good powder in the centre of the 
cask. I carried all away thither, never keeping over two or 
three pounds of powder with me in my castle, for fear of a 
surprise. I also carried thither all the lead I had for bullets. 

I fancied myself now like one of the ancient giants who are 
said to have lived in caves and holes in the rocks, where none 
could come at them ; for I persuaded myself, while I was here, 
that if five hundred savages were to hunt me, they could never 


ROBINSO]!^ CRUSOE 


101 


find me — or if they did, they would not venture to attack 
me. 

The old goat I found expiring died in the mouth of the cave 
the next day ; and I decided it would be much easier to dig a 
great hole there, and throw him in and cover him with earth, 
than to drag him out. 


CHAPTER X 

Of my life and surroundings in the twenty-third year of my residence 
in the island — I am startled one foul night with the noise of a gun 
fired at sea — In the morning I see the wreck of a ship cast away 
on some distant rocks — I make a voyage in my boat to the wreck 
— The savages land on my side of the island with several captives 
— One of the prisoners escapes and runs up into the island — I 
rescue him from his pursuers and he becomes my servant and I 
name him Friday. 

I WAS now in the twenty-third year of my residence in this 
island, and was so naturalized to the place and the manner of 
living, that, could I have enjoyed the certainty that no savages 
would come to disturb me, I could have been content to spend 
the rest of my time there, till I laid me down and died, like 
the old goat in the cave. I had also some little diversions and 
amusements. I had taught my Poll, as I noted before, to 
speak ; and he did it so familiarly, and talked so plainly, that it 
was very pleasant to me. My dog was a loving companion 
for no less than sixteen years, and then died. As for my cats, 
they all ran wild into the woods, except certain favorites, which 
were part of my family. Besides these I always kept two or 
three household kids about me, that I taught to feed out of my 
hands ; and I had two more parrots, which talked pretty well, 
and would call “ Robin Crusoe,” but none talked like my first ; 
for I did not take so much pains teaching them. I had also 
several tame sea-fowls I caught on the shore, and whose wings 
I had cut to prevent them from flying away. The little stakes 


102 


ADVENTURES OF 


I had planted before my castle-wall being now grown up to a 
good thick grove, these fowls all lived among the low trees, 
which was very agreeable to me. 

It was now the month of December, and this, being the 
particular time of my harvest, I was much abroad in the fields. 
Going out pretty early one morning, I saw a fire on the shore, 
at a distance of about two miles, which made me certain there 
were savages landed on my side of the island. 

I was terribly surprised at the sight, and stopped within my 
grove, not daring to go out ; and yet I had no peace within, 
from the apprehensions that if these savages, in rambling over 
the island, should find my corn, or any of my works and im- 
provements, they would immediately conclude there were people 
in the place, and would never rest till they had found me. In 
this extremity I went directly to my castle, and made all things 
without look as wild and natural as I could. 

Then I prepared myself within. I loaded all my cannon, as I 
called them — that is to say, my muskets, which were mounted 
on my fortification, and all my pistols, and resolved to defend 
myself to the last gasp. In this posture I continued about 
two hours, and began to be impatient for intelligence abroad. 
After sitting a while and musing what I should do, I was not 
able to bear staying in ignorance any longer. So setting up my 
ladder to the side of the hill, where there was a flat place, as I 
observed before, and then pulling the ladder after me, I set it 
up again, and mounted to the top of the hill, and taking out 
my perspective-glass, I presently found there were no less than 
nine savages sitting round a small fire they had made, not to 
warm them, for they had no need of that, the weather being 
extremely hot, but to cook some of their barbarous diet of 
human flesh. 

They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled up 
on the shore ; and as it was then ebb of tide, they seemed to 
wait for the return of the flood that they might go away. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


103 


As I expected, so it proved ; for, as soon as the tide made to 
the westward, I saw them all take boat. I should have ob- 
served, that for an hour or more before they went off they were 
dancing, and I could easily discern their postures and gestures 
by my glass. 

As soon as I saw them shipped and gone, I took two guns 
on my shoulders, and two pistols in my girdle, and my great 
sword by my side, and with all the speed I was able to make 
went down to the shore. I could see the marks of horror 
which the dismal work they had been about had left behind, 
the blood, the bones, and part of the flesh of human bodies 
devoured by those wretches with merriment and sport. I was 
so filled with indignation at the sight, that I now began to 
premeditate the destruction of the next party that I saw 
there, let them be how many soever. Nor did I consider at 
all that if I killed one party — suppose of ten or a dozen — I 
was still the next day, or week, or month, to kill another, and 
so another, even till I should be, at length, no less a murderer 
than they were in being man-eaters — and perhaps much more 
so. 

But to waive all this for a while. It was in the middle of 
May, on the sixteenth day, as well as my poor wooden calendar 
would reckon, for I marked the post still, that it blew a storm 
of wind all day, with a great deal of lightning and thunder, and 
a very foul night came after it. As I was reading the Bible, 
and taken up with very serious thoughts, I was surprised with 
the noise of a gun, as I thought, fired at sea. 

I started up in great haste ; and, in a trice, clapped my ladder 
to the middle place of the rock, and pulled it after me ; and, 
mounting it the second time, got to the top of the hill the very 
moment that a flash of fire bid me listen for a second gun, 
which, in about half a minute, I heard ; and by the sound, 
knew it was from that part of the sea where I was driven out 
with the current in my boat. 


104 


ADVENTURES OF 


I immediately considered that there must be -some ship in 
distress, and that these guns were signals to obtain help. I 
had the presence of mind to think, that though I could not 
help those who were in the ship, they might help me. So I 
brought together all the dry wood I could get at hand, and, 
making a pile, I set it on fire upon the hill. The wood was 
dry, and blazed freely ; and I was certain the ship must see it. 
As soon as my fire blazed up, I heard another gun, and after 
that several more from the same quarter. I plied my fire all 
night long ; and when it was broad day, and the air cleared up, 
I saw something at a great distance at sea, full east of the 
island, whether a sail or a hull I could not distinguish — no, not 
with my glass ; the distance was so great, and the weather still 
somewhat hazy. 

I looked frequently at it, and soon perceived that it did not 
move. So I presently concluded that it was a ship at anchor ; 
and being eager, you may be sure, to be satisfied, I took my gun 
in my hand, and ran toward the east side of the island, to the 
rocks where I had formerly been carried away with the current ; 
and getting up there, the weather by this time being perfectly 
clear, I could plainly see, to my great sorrow, the wreck of a 
ship on those rocks which I found when I was out in my boat; 
and which rocks, as they checked the violence of the stream, 
and made a counter-stream, or eddy, were the occasion of my 
recovering from the most desperate, hopeless condition that ever 
I had been in in all my life. The men, whoever they were, 
that had been on the ship, must, as I thought, have endeavored 
to save themselves by the help of their boat ; but the sea running 
very high, they might have been cast away. Again, I imagined 
they had some other ship in company, which, upon the signals of 
distress, had taken them up and carried them off. Other times, 
I fancied they were all in their boat, and, being hurried away by 
the current that I had been formerly in, were carried out into 
the great ocean, where there was only misery and perishing. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


105 


Nothing could make it rational to expect that they did not 
all perish, except the possibility of their being taken up by 
another ship in company ; and I saw not the least sign or ap- 
pearance of any such thing. I cannot explain what a strange 
longing I felt upon this sight, breaking out sometimes thus : 
“ Oh, that there had been one soul saved out of this ship, to 
have escaped to me, that I might have a companion, a fellow- 
creature to speak to me and to converse with ! ” 

In all the time of my solitary life, I never felt so earnest, so 
strong a desire after the society of my fellow-creatures, or so 
deep a regret at the want of it. But it was not to be. Either 
their fate, or mine, or both, forbade it, and I had only the 
affliction, some days after, to see the corpse of a drowned boy 
come on shore at the end of the island which was next the ship- 
wreck. He had on a seaman’s waistcoat, a pair of open-kneed 
linen drawers, and a blue linen shirt ; nothing to direct me to 
guess what nation he was of. 

It was now calm, and I had a great mind to venture out in 
my boat to this wreck, not doubting I should find something on 
board that would be useful to me. But that did not appeal to 
me so much as the possibility there might be yet some living 
creature on board, whose life I might not only save, but, by 
saving that life, could comfort my own. This thought clung so 
to my heart that I could not be quiet, and I hastened back to 
my castle, and prepared for a. voyage. I took a quantity of 
bread, a great pot for fresh water, a compass to steer by, and 
a basket of raisins ; and thus loading myself, I went to my boat, 
got the water out, put all I had brought in her, and then re- 
turned for more. My second burden was a great bag full of 
rice, the umbrella to set up over my head for a shade, another 
large pot full of fresh water, and a bottle of goat’s-milk, and a 
cheese ; all which, with great labor and sweat, I brought to my 
boat ; and praying to God to direct my voyage, I put out, and, 
paddling the canoe along the shore, came at last to the utmost 


106 


ADVENTURES OF 


point of the island on that side. Now I was to launch out into 
the ocean. I looked on the rapid currents which ran constantly 
on both sides of the island at a distance, and my heart began to 
fail me ; and liaving hauled my boat to the shore, I stepped out, 
and sat down on a rising bit of ground, very pensive and anx- 
ious, between fear and desire about my voyage. As I was 
musing, I could perceive that the tide was turned, and my going 
was impracticable for many hours. Presently it occurred to me 
to climb to the highest piece of ground I could find, and observe 
how the sets of the currents lay when the flood came in, that I 
might judge whether, if I was driven one way out, I might 
expect to be driven another way home, with the same rapidity. 
This thought was no sooner in my head than I cast my eyes 
upon a little hill, which sufiiciently overlooked the sea both 
ways. Here I found that the current of ebb set out close by 
the south point of the island, and the current of the flood set in 
close by the shore of the north side, and that I had nothing to 
do but to keep to the north of the island in my return, and I 
should do well enough. 

Encouraged with this observation, I resolved, the next mprn- 
ing, to set out with the first of the tide ; and reposed myself for 
the night in my canoe. When I launched out the following 
day, I first made a little out to sea, full north, till I began to 
feel the benefit of the current, which set eastward, and which 
carried me at a great rate ; and yet did not so hurry me as the 
current on the south side had done before, so as to take from 
me all government of the boat ; but I went, at a great rate, 
directly for the wreck, and in less than two hours I came to it. 

It was a dismal sight to look at. The ship, which, by its 
building, I knew was Spanish, stuck fast, jammed in between 
two rocks. All the stern was beaten to pieces by the sea, 
and her mainmast and foremast were broken short off ; but her 
bowsprit was sound, and the head and bow firm. When I got 
close to her, a dog appeared, who, seeing me coming, yelped and 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


107 


cried ; and, as soon as I called him, jumped into the sea to come 
to me. I took him into the boat, and found him almost dead 
with hunger and thirst. I gave him a cake of my bread, and 
he devoured it like a ravenous wolf that had been starving a 
fortnight. I then gave the poor creature some fresh water, with 
which, if I would have let him, he would have burst himself. 

After this I went on board. The first sight I met with was 
two men drowned in the forecastle, with their arms fast about 
one another. I concluded that when the ship struck, the sea 
broke so high and so continually over her, that the men were 
not able to bear it, and were strangled with the constant rushing 
in of the water. Except the dog, there was nothing left in the 
ship that had life. 

I saw several chests, which I believe belonged to some of the 
seamen ; and I got two of them into the boat, without examin- 
ing what was in them. Had the stern of the ship been fixed, 
and the forepart broken off, I am persuaded I might have made 
a good voyage ; for, by what I found in these two chests, the 
ship had a great deal of wealth on board ; and, if I may guess 
from the course she steered, she must have been bound from 
Buenos Ayres, or the Eio de la Plata, to Havana, in the Gulf 
of Mexico. 

I found, besides these chests, several muskets, and a great 
powder horn, with about four pounds of powder in it. As for 
the muskets, I had no occasion for them, but I took the powder- 
horn. I took a fire-shovel and tongs, which I wanted ex- 
tremely ; and also two little brass kettles, a copper pot, and a 
gridiron ; and with this cargo, and the dog, I came away, the 
tide beginning to make home again. The same evening I 
reached the island, weary and fatigued to the last degree. 

I reposed that night in the boat ; and in the morning I re- 
solved to harbor what I had got in my new cave, and not carry 
it home to my castle. After refreshing myself, I got all my 
cargo on shore, and when I came to open the chests, I found in 


lOB 


ADVENTURES OF 


one two pots of very good sweetmeats, and some shirts, which 
were very welcome to me ; and about a dozen and a half of 
white linen handkerchiefs and colored neckcloths. The hand- 
kerchiefs were also very welcome, being exceedingly refreshing 
to wipe my face with on a hot day. When I came to the till 
in the chest, I found three great bags of pieces of eight, about 
eleven hundred pieces in all ; and in one of the bags, wrapped 
up in a paper, six doubloons ° of gold, and some small bars of 
gold ; I suppose these bars might all weigh nearly a pound. 

In the other chest were some clothes, but of slight value. 
Upon the whole, I got very little by this voyage that was of 
any use ; for as to the money, I had no manner of occasion 
for it. It was to me as the dirt under my feet, and I would 
have given it all for three or four pairs of English shoes and 
stockings, which were things I greatly wanted, but had none on 
my feet for many years. I had, indeed, got two pairs of shoes 
now, which I took off the feet of the two drowned men I saw 
in the wreck, but they were not like our English- shoes, either 
for ease or service, being rather what we call pumps ° than shoes. 

Having brought all my things on shore and secured them, I 
paddled my boat to her old harbor, where I laid her up, and 
made the best of my way to my habitation. I found everything 
safe and quiet. I began now to live after my usual fashion, 
only that I did not go abroad much ; and if I did stir with any 
freedom, it was always to the east part of the island, where I 
was pretty well satisfied the savages never came, and where I 
could go without so many precautions, and such a load of arms 
and ammunition as I always carried with me if I went the 
other way. 

I lived in this condition nearly two years ; but at length I 
was surprised one morning early by seeing no less than five 
canoes on shore together on my side the island, and the people 
who belonged to them all landed and out of my sight. Know- 
ing that they always came four or six, or sometimes more, in a 


JROBINSON CRUSOE 


109 


boat, I lay still in my castle, perplexed and discomforted. 
However, I put myself into all the postures for an attack that 
I had formerly provided, and was ready for action, if anything 
had presented. Having waited a good while, listening to hear 
if they made any noise, I set my guns at the foot of my ladder, 
and clambered up to the top of the hill, by my two stages, as 
usual ; standing so, however, that my head did not appear 
above the hill. Here I observed, by the help of my perspective- 
glass, that the savages were no less than thirty in number ; 
that they had a fire kindled, and that they had meat dressed. 
How they had cooked it, I knew not, or what it was ; but they 
were all dancing with many barbarous gestures round the fire. 

While I was thus looking on, I perceived, by my perspective, 
two miserable wretches dragged from the boats, where, it seems, 
they were tied. One of them immediately fell, knocked down 
with a club or wooden sword ; and two or three savages were 
promptly at work preparing him for their cookery, w'hile the 
other victim was left standing by himself, tiU they should be 
ready for him. At that very moment this poor wretch, see- 
ing himself a little at liberty, and unbound, Nature inspired 
him with hopes of life and he started away, and ran with in- 
credible swiftness along the sands, directly toward that part of 
the coast where my habitation was. 

I was dreadfully frighted. However, I kept my station, and 
my spirits began to recover' when I found that only three men 
followed him ; and I was still more encouraged, when I found 
that he gained ground. There was, between him and my 
castle, -the creek, where I landed my cargoes out of the ship; 
and this he must necessarily swim, or be captured ; but when 
the savage came thither, he made nothing of it, though the 
tide was then up ; but, plunging in, swam through, landed, and 
ran on with exceeding strength and swiftness. When the three 
pursuers came to the creek, I found that two of them could 
swim. The third could not, and, standing on the other side, he 


110 


ADVENTURES OF 


looked, but went no farther, and soon after turned back ; which, 
as it happened, was veiy well for him. 

It came very warmly upon my thoughts that now was the 
time to get me a servant, and that I was plainly called by 
Providence to save this poor creature’s life. I immediately ran 
down the ladder with all possible expedition, fetched my two 
guns, and getting up again to the top of the hill, I crossed 
toward the sea. Having a very short cut, and all down hill, 
I clapped myself in the way between the pursuers and the pur- 
sued, hallooing aloud to him that fled, who was at first perhaps 
as much frighted at me as at them ; but I beckoned with my 
hand to him to come back ; and, in the meantime, I slowly 
advanced toward the two that followed. Then rushing upon 
the foremost, I knocked him down with the stock of my gun. 
I was loath to fire, because I would not have the rest hear ; 
though at that distance, being out of sight, they wcadd not have 
known what to make of it. The other who pursued stopped ; 
but as I came nearer, I perceived he had a bow and arrow, and 
was fitting the arrow to shoot at me. So I was obliged to 
shoot him, and I killed him at the first shot. 

The poor savage who fled, though he saw both his enemies 
fallen and killed, as he thought, yet was so surprised with the 
fire and noise of my gun that he stood stock still, and neither 
came forward nor went backward, though he seemed rather in- 
clined still to fly. I hallooed again to him, and made signs to 
come, which he easily understood, and advanced a little way ; 
then stopped, and then came a little farther, and stopped again. 
I gave him all the signs of encouragement that I could think of ; 
and he came nearer and nearer, kneeling down every ten or 
twelve steps, in token of acknowledgment for saving his life. 
I smiled at him, and looked pleasantly, and at length, he came 
close to me. Then he kneeled down again, laid his head on the 
ground, and, taking me by the foot, set my foot on his head. 
This, it seems, was in token of swearing to be my slave forever. 
I took him up, and encouraged him. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


111 


But there was more work to do yet; for I perceived the 
savage whom I had knocked down was not killed, but stunned 
with the blow, and began to come to himself. So I pointed to 
him, and showed my savage that he was not dead. Upon this 
my savage spoke some words to me, and though I could not 
understand them, yet I thought they were pleasant; for they 
were the first sound of a man’s voice that I had heard, my 
own excepted, for more than twenty-five years. There was no 
time for such reflections now. The savage who was knocked 
down had recovered himself so far as to sit up, and I perceived 
that my savage began to be afraid ; but he made a motion to 
me to lend him my sword, which hung naked in a belt by my 
side, and he no sooner had it, than he ran to his enemy, and at 
one blow cut off his head. When he had done this, he came 
laughing to me in sign of triumph, and brought me the sword. 

That which astonished him most, was to know how I killed 
the other Indian so far off. Pointing, he made signs to be al- 
lowed to go to him ; and I gave permission, as well as I could. 
When he came to him, he stood like one amazed, looking at 
him, first on one side, then on the other. He took up his bow 
and arrows, and came back. Now I turned to go away, and 
beckoned him to follow me, making signs that more savages 
might come after them. 

Upon this he made signs to me that he should bury them 
with sand, that they might not be seen by the rest, if they fol- 
lowed ; and I made signs to him to do so. He fell to work ; 
and soon had scraped a hole in the sand with his hands, big 
enough to bury the first in, and then dragged him into it, and 
covered him ; and did so by the other also. I believe he had 
buried them both in a quarter of an hour. We then went to 
my cave, on the farther part of the island. 

Here I gave him bread and a bunch of raisins to eat, and a 
drink of water, which I found he was indeed in great distress 
for from his running ; and having refreshed him, I made signs 


112 


ADVENTURES OF 


for him to lie down to sleep, showing him a place where I had 
some rice straw, and a blanket upon it, which I used to sleep on 
myself sometimes. So the poor creature lay down, and went 
to sleep. 

He was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly well made, with 
straight, strong limbs, not too large, tall, and, as I reckon, about 
twenty-six years of age. He had a very good countenance. 
His hair was long and black, not curled like wool ; his forehead 
high and large ; and a great vivacity and sparkling sharpness 
in his eyes. The color of his skin was not black, but of a dun 
olive-color, that had in it something very agreeable, though 
not easy to describe. His face was round and plump ; his nose 
small, and he had a very good mouth, and fine teeth as white 
as ivory. 

After he had slumbered about half-an-hour, he awoke and 
came out of the cave to me, for I had been milking my goats, 
which I had in the enclosure just by. When he espied me, he 
came running to me, laying himself down upon the ground, with 
all possible signs of a humble, thankful disposition. At last 
he laid his head flat on the ground, close to me, and set one of 
my feet upon his head, as he had done before ; and after this, 
made signs to let me know how he would serve me so long as 
he lived. I began to speak to him, and teach him to speak to 
me ; and, first, I let him know his name should be Friday, 
which was the day I saved his life. I taught him to say Mas- 
ter, and let him know that was to be my name. I likewise 
taught him to say Yes and No, and to understand the meaning 
of them. I gave him some milk in an earthen pot, and let him 
see me drink it before him, and sop my bread in it ; and gave 
him a cake of bread to do the like, which he quickly complied 
with, and made signs that it was very good. 

I stayed there with him all that night ; but, as soon as it 
was day, I beckoned him to come with me, and let him know I 
would give him some clothes ; at which he seemed very glad. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


113 


As we went by the place where he had buried the two men, he 
pointed exactly to the spot, making signs to me that we should 
dig them up and eat them. At this I appeared very angry, 
expressed my abhon’ence, made as if I would vomit at the 
thoughts of it, and beckoned him to come away. I then led 
him up to the top of the hill, to see if his enemies were gone, 
and pulling out my glass, I looked, and saw the place where 
they had been, but no appearance of them or their canoes ; so 
that it was plain they were gone, and had left their two com- 
rades behind, without any search after them. 

But I was not content with this discovery ; and I took my 
man Friday with me, giving him the sword in his hand, with 
the bow and arrows at his back, -vyhich I found he could use 
very dexterously, making him carry one gun for me, and I two 
for myself ; and away we marched to the place where these 
creatures had been — for I had a mind now to get some fuller 
intelligence of them. When I came to the place, my very blood 
ran chill in my veins, and my heart sank within me at the hor- 
ror of the spectacle. Indeed, it was a dreadful sight, though 
Friday made nothing of it. The place was covered with human 
bones, the ground dyed with the blood, and pieces of flesh 
left here and there, half-eaten, mangled, and scorched ; and, 
in short, all the tokens of the triumphant feast they had been 
making after a victory over their enemies. Friday made 
me understand that they brought over four prisoners ; that 
three of them were eaten, and that he, pointing to himself, was 
the fourth. 

I caused Friday to gather all the bones, flesh, and whatever 
remained, and lay them together in a heap, and make a great 
fire upon it, and burn them all to ashes. When he had done 
this we went back to our castle, and there I fell to work for my 
man Friday. I gave him a pair of linen drawers, which, with 
a little alteration, fitted him very well. Then I made him a 
jerkin of goat’s skin, as well as my skill would allow (for I was 


114 


ADVENTURES OF 


now a tolerably good tailor) ; and I gave him a cap which I 
made of hare’s skin, very convenient, and fashionable enough, 
and thus he was clothed, for the present. It is true, he went 
awkwardly in these clothes at first ; and the sleeves of the waist- 
coat galled his shoulders and the inside of his arms — but with 
a little easing them where he complained they hurt him, at 
length he took to them very well. 

The next day, after I came home to my hutch with him, I 
began to consider where I should lodge him ; and, that I might 
be perfectly easy myself, I made a little tent for him in the 
vacant place between my two fortifications. As there was a 
door or entrance there into my cave, I made a framed door-case, 
and a door, and set it up in the passage, a little within the 
entrance ; and, causing the door to open on the inside, I barred 
it up at night, taking in my ladders, too ; so that Friday could 
no way come at me inside of my innermost wall, without mak- 
ing so much noise in getting over that it must needs awaken 
me ; for my first wall had now a complete roof over it of long 
poles, leaning up to the side of the hill; and the poles were 
laid across with smaller sticks, and then thatched with rice- 
straw. At the hole which was left to go in and out by the 
ladder, I had placed a kind of trap-door, which, if it had been 
attempted on the outside, would have fallen down and made 
a great noise. As to weapons, I took them all into the cave 
every night. 

But I needed none of all this precaution ; for never man had 
a more faithful, loving, sincere servant than Friday was to me. 
His affections were tied to me like those of a child to a father ; 
and I dare say he would have sacrificed his life for saving 
mine. 


EOBINSON CRUSOE 


115 


CHAPTER XI 


I teach Friday to help me in my work — He learns to talk English and 
tells me of his nation, and of their wars and religion and of some 
white men who dwelt with his people — We make another boat and 
fit it with a mast and sails. 

I WAS greatly delighted with my new companion, and made 
it my business to teach him everything that was proper to 
make him useful, handy, and helpful ; but especially to make 
him speak English. He was the aptest scholar that ever was ; 
and was so merry, so constantly diligent, and so pleased when 
he could understand me, or make me understand him, that it 
was very pleasant to talk to him. 

After I had been tw^o or three days returned to my castle, I 
took him out with me one morning to the woods. I went, 
intending to kill a kid out of my flock, and bring it home and 
dress it ; but as I was going, I saw a she-goat lying down in 
the shade, and two young kids by her. I caught hold of Fri- 
day, and made signs to him not to stir. Immediately I shot 
and killed one of the kids. Poor Friday, who had, at a dis- 
tance, indeed, seen me kill the savage, his enemy, but did not 
know, nor could imagine, how it was done, trembled, and shook, 
and looked so amazed that I thought he would have sunk 
down. He did not see the kid I shot at, or perceive I had 
killed it, but ripped up his waistcoat to feel whether he was 
wounded ; and he came and kneeled down to me, and, embrac- 
ing my knees, said a great many things I^did not understand; 
but I could easily see the meaning was to pray me not to kill 
him. 

I soon found a way to convince him that I would do him no 
harm ; and taking him by the hand, laughed at him, and point- 
ing to the kid which I had killed, beckoned him to run and 


116 


ADVENTURES OF 


fetch it, which he did : and while he was wondering, and look- 
ing to see how the creature was killed, I loaded my gun. By 
and by I saw a great fowl, like a hawk, on a tree within shot. 
So, to let Friday understand a little -what I would do, I called 
him to me, pointed at the fowl, and to my gun, and to the 
ground under the bird. I made him understand that I would 
shoot and kill that bird. Accordingly, I fired, and he saw the 
bird fall. He stood like one frightened again, notwithstanding 
all I had said to him ; and I found he was the more amazed, 
because he did not see me put anything into the gun, but 
thouglit there must be some wonderful fund of death and 
destruction in that thing, able to kill man, beast, or bird, 
whether near or far. The astonishment this created in him 
was such as could not wear off for a long time ; and I believe, 
if I had let him, he would have worshipped me and my gun. 
As for the gun itself, he would not so much as touch it for 
several days after; but he would speak to it and talk to it, 
when he was by himself ; which, as I afterwards learned of him, 
was to desire it not to kill him. I brought home the kid, and 
the same evening I took the skin off, and stewed a portion of 
the flesh, and made some broth. I gave some to my man, who 
seemed very glad of it, and liked it very well ; but that which 
was strangest to him was to see me eat salt with it. He 
made a sign to me that the salt was not good to eat ; and put- 
ting a little into his mouth, he seemed to nauseate it and would 
spit and sputter at it, washing his mouth with fresh water 
after it. On the other hand, I took some meat into my mouth 
without salt, and I pretended to spit and sputter for want of 
salt, as fast as he had done at the salt ; but he would never 
care for salt with his meat, or in his broth. 

The next day I roasted a piece of the kid by hanging it 
before the fire on a string, as I had seen people do in England, 
setting two poles up, one on each side of the fire, and one across 
on the top, and tying the string to the cross stick, letting the 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


117 


meat turn continually. Friday admired this very much ; and 
when he came to taste the flesh, he took many ways to tell me 
how well he liked it. 

Afterward I set him to work beating some corn out, and 
sifting it ; and he soon understood how to do this as well 
as I, especially after he knew that it was to make bread of. I 
let him see me make my bread, and bake it, too : and in a little 
time Friday was able to do all this for me, as well as I could 
do it myself. 

I began now to consider that having two mouths to feed 
instead of one, I must provide more ground for my harvest, and 
plant a greater quantity of corn. So I marked out a larger piece 
of land, and began the fence in the same manner as before, and 
Friday worked with me very willingly and hard. 

This was the pleasantest year of all the life I led on the island. 
Friday began to understand the names of everything I had occa- 
sion to call for, and of every place I had to send him to, and he 
talked a great deal to me ; so that I had now some use for my 
tongue again, which, indeed, I had very little occasion for before. 
Besides the pleasure of talking with him, I had a singular satis- 
faction in the fellow himself. His simple, unfeigned honesty 
appeared to me more and more every day, and I began really 
to love the creature. 

I had a mind once to try if he had any hankering inclination 
for his own country ; and having taught him English so well 
that he could answer almost any question, I asked him whether 
the nation that he belonged to never conquered in battle ; at 
which he smiled, and said, “Yes, yes, we always flght the 
better ; ” and so we began the following discourse : 

Master. — You always fight the better ; how came you to be 
taken prisoner then, Friday ? 

Friday. — My nation beat much, for all that. 

Master. — How beat ? If your nation beat, how came you 
to be taken ? 


118 


ADVENTURES OF 


Friday. — They more many than my nation, in the place 
where me was. They take one, two, three, ^nd me. My nation 
overheat them in the yonder place, where me no was. There 
my nation take one, two, great thousand. 

Master. — But why did not your side recover you from the 
hands of your enemies then ? 

Friday. — They run, with one, two, three, and me, and make 
us go in the canoe. My nation have no canoe that time. 

Master. — Well, Friday, and what does your nation do with 
the men they take ? Do they carry them a\vay and eat them, 
as your enemies do % 

Friday. — Yes, my nation eat mans too ; eat all up. 

Master. — Where do they carry them ? 

Friday. — Go to other place, where they think. 

Master. — Do they come hither ? 

Friday. — Yes, they come hither ; come other else place. 

Master. — Have you been here with them % 

Friday. — Yes, I been here (points to the northwest side of 
the island, which, it seems, was their side). 

By this I understood that my man Friday had formerly been 
among the savages who used to come on shore on the farther 
part of the island, on the same man-eating occasions that he was 
brought for ; and, some time after, when I took the courage to 
go with him to that side, he presently knew the place, and told 
me he was there once, when they ate twenty men, two women, 
and one child. He could not tell twenty in English, but he 
numbered them by laying so many stones in a row, and pointing 
to have me count them. 

I asked him how far it was from our island to the shore, and 
whether the canoes were not often lost. He told me there was 
no danger, and that after a little way out to sea, there was a 
current, always one way in the morning, the other in the 
afternoon. 

This I thought to be no more than the sets of the tide ; but 


ROBINSOIi CRUSOE 


119 


I afterwards understood it was occasioned by the great draft and 
reflux of the mighty river Oroonoko, in the mouth of which river 
our island lay ; and the land which I perceived to the west and 
northwest was the great island Trinidad. I asked Friday a 
thousand questions about the country, the inhabitants, the sea, 
the coast, and what nations were near. He told me the names 
of the several nations of his sort of peoj)le, but could give no other 
name than Caribs ° ; whence I easily understood that these were 
the Caribbees, which our maps place on the part of America which 
reaches from the mouth of the river Oroonoko to Guiana, and 
onwards to St. Martha. He told me, that up a great way be- 
yond the setting of the moon, there dwelt w'hite, bearded men like 
me, and pointed to my great whiskers ; and that they had killed 
“ much mans ” ; by which I understood he meant the Spaniards, 
the story of whose cruelties in America had been spread over the 
whole country and were remembered by all the nations, from 
father to son. 

I inquired how I might go from this island, and get among 
those white men. He told me I might go “ in two canoe.” I 
could not understand what he meant by two canoe, till at last, 
with great difficulty, I found he meant a large boat, as big as 
two canoes. This part of the discourse began to relish with me 
very well ; and made me entertain hopes I might find an oppor- 
tunity to escape from the island, and that this poor savage might 
be a means to help me to do it. 

During the long time that Friday had now been with me, I 
had tried to lay a foundation of religious knowledge in his mind ; 
particularly I asked him one' time who made him ; and who 
made the sea, the ground we walked on, and the hills and woods. 
He told me it was “ old Benamuckee, that lived beyond all.” He 
could describe nothing of this great person, but that he was very 
old, much older, he said, than the sea or the land, than the moon 
or the stars. I asked him if the people who died in his country 
went away Anywhere. He said they all went to Benamuckee. 


120 


ADVENTURES OF 


Then I asked him whether those they ate up went thither too. 
He said, “ Yes.” 

' I began to instruct him in the knowledge of the true God. 
I told him of the manner of making our prayers to God, and 
his being able to hear us, even in heaven. He told me one day, 
that if our God could hear us, up beyond the sun, he must needs 
be a greater God than their Benamuckee, who lived but a little 
way off, and yet could not hear till they went up to the great 
mountains where he dwelt to speak to him. I asked him if ever 
he went thither to speak to him. He said none went thither 
but the old men, their clergy ; and that they went to say Oh ! 
(so he called saying prayers) and then came back and told what 
Benamuckee said. 

I explained to him that the going of their old men up to the 
mountains to say Oh ! to their god Benamuckee was a cheat 
and their bringing word what he said was much more so ; that 
if they met with any answer, or spoke with any one there, it 
must be with an evil spirit. Then I entered into a long dis- 
course with him about the devil, his rebellion against God, his 
enmity to man, his setting himself up in the dark parts of the 
world to be worshipped instead of God, and the many stratagems 
he made use of to delude mankind to ruin. 

I found it was not so easy to imprint right notions in his mind 
about the devil as it was about God. I had been telling him how 
the devil was God’s enemy in the hearts of men, and used all his 
malice and skill to defeat the good designs of Providence, and 
the like. 

“Well,” says Friday, “but you say God is so great; is he 
not much strong as the devil 1 ” 

“Yes, yes, Friday,” says I; “God is stronger than the 
devil.” 

“ But,” says he, “if God much strong, much might as the devil, 
why God no kill the devil, so make him no more do wicked ? ” 

I was strangely surprised at this question ; and, after all. 


EOBINSON^ CRUSOE 


121 


though I was now an old man, yet I was ill qualified for a solver 
of difficulties. At first I could not tell what to say; so I pre- 
tended not to hear him ; but he was earnest for an answer and 
he repeated the very same broken words. By this time I had 
recovered myself a little, and I said, “ God will at last punish 
him severely.” 

This did not satisfy Friday; and he responded: “Me no 
understand. Why not kill the devil now ? ” 

“You may as well ask me,” said I, “ why God does not kill 
you and me, when we do wicked things that offend him. We 
are preserved to repent and be pardoned.” 

He mused awhile on this : “ Well, well,” says he, mighty 
affectionately, “that good : so you, I, devil, all wicked, all pre- 
serve, repent, God pardon all.” 

Here I was run down by him to the last degree : and it was 
a testimony to me, how the mere notions of nature, though they 
will guide reasonable creatures to the knowledge of a God, and 
of a worship or homage due to the Supreme Being, yet nothing 
but Divine revelation can form the knowledge of Jesus Christ, 
and of redemption purchased for us; 

I therefore diverted the present discourse between me and my 
man, rising up hastily as upon a sudden occasion of going out. 
Then sending him for something a good way off, I seriously 
prayed to God that He would enable me to instruct savingly 
this poor savage. 

After Friday and I became more intimate I acquainted him 
with my own story. I let him into the mystery of gunpowder and 
bullet, and taught him how to shoot. I gave him a knife, with 
which he was wonderfully delighted; and I made him a belt, 
with a frog hanging to it ; and in the frog I gave him a hatchet. 

I described to him the countries of Europe, particularly Eng- 
land, which I came from. ; how we lived, how we worshipped 
God, how we behaved to one another, and how we traded in 
ships to all parts of the world. I showed him the ruins of the 


122 


ADVENTURES OF 


boat in which we attempted to reach shore where we were 
wrecked and which was now fallen to pieces. Upon seeing this 
boat, Friday stood musing a great while. At last says he, 
“ Me see such boat come to place at my nation.” 

When I had questioned him, I understood him, that a boat, 
such as that, came on shore where he lived, driven thither by 
stress of weather. Friday described the boat to me well enough, 
and added with some w^armth, “We saved the white mans from 
drown. The boat full of white mans.” 

I asked him how many. He told upon his fingers seventeen. 
I asked him then what became of them. He replied, “ They 
live at my nation.” 

This put new thoughts into my head ; for I presently im- 
agined that these might be the men belonging to the ship that 
was cast away in the sight of my island ; and who, after the 
ship struck on the rock and they saw her inevitably lost, had 
saved themselves in their boat, and had landed on that wild 
shore among the savages. I inquired of Friday more critically 
what was become of them. He assured me that the savages 
left them alone, and gave them victuals to live on. I asked him 
how it came to pass that they did not kill them and eat them. 

He said, “No, they make brother with them ; ” and then he 
added, “ They no eat mans but when make the war fight ; ” 
that is to say, they never eat any men but such as come to 
fight with them, and are taken in battle. 

It was after this some considerable time, that being on the 
top of the hill, at the east side of the island, Friday looked very 
earnestly toward the mainland, and, in a kind of surprise, falls 
a-jumping and dancing, and calls out, “ Oh, joy ! oh, glad ! 
there see my country, there my nation ! ” 

I observed an extraordinary sense of pleasure appeared in his 
face and his eyes sparkled, and his countenance showed a strange 
eagerness, as if he had a mind to be in his own country again. 
This observation of mine made me at first not so easy about my 


EOBINSOIi CRUSOE 


123 


new man Friday as I was before. I made no doubt that, if he 
could get back to his own nation, he wouM not only forget all 
his religion, but all his obligation to me, and would give his 
countrymen an account of me, and come back, perhaps, with a 
hundred or two of them, and make a feast upon me, at which 
he might be as merry as he used to be eating his enemies, when 
they were taken in war. 

But I wronged the poor honest creature, for which I was very 
sorry afterwards. However, as my jealousy increased, and held 
I me some weeks, I was a little more circumspect, and not so 
familiar and kind to him as before ; and you may be sure I 
I was every day pumping him, to see if I could discover any of 
the new thoughts which I suspected were in him. 

One day, I called to him, and said, “ Friday, do not you wish 
yourself in your own country, your own nation ? ” 

“Yes,” he said, “I be much oh glad to be at my own 
nation.” 

“ What would you do there ? ” said I ; “ would you turn wild 
again, eat men’s flesh, and be a savage, as you were before 1 ” 

He looked full of concern, and shaking his head, said, “ No, 
no ; Friday tell them to live good ; tell them to pray God ; tell 
them to eat corn-bread, cattle-flesh, milk ; no eat man again.” 

“ Why, then,” said I to him, “ they will kill you.” 

He looked grave at that, and said, “ No, no ; they no kill me, 
they willing learn.” 

Then I asked him if he would go back to them. He smiled 
at that, and replied he could not swim so far. I told him, I 
would make a canoe for him. He said he would go if I would 
go with him. 

“ I go ! ” says I ; “ why, they will eat me if I go there.” 

“No, no,” says he, “me make them no eat you ; me make 
them much love you.” He meant, he would tell them how I 
had killed his enemies, and saved his life, and so he would make, 
them love me. 


124 


ADVENTURES OF 


From this time, I was eager to venture over, and see if I 
could possibly join those bearded men. After some days, I 
took Friday to my frigate, which lay on the other side of the 
island, and having cleared it of water, for I always kept it 
sunk, I showed it to him, and we both WTiit into it. 

I found he was a most dexterous fellow at managing it and 
made it go almost as swift and fast again as I could. So, I 
said to him, “Well, now, Friday, shall we go to your nation?” 

He looked very dull at my saying so ; because he thought 
the boat too small to go so far. I then told him I had a 
bigger ; so the next day I went to the place where the first 
boat lay which I had made, but which I could not get into 
the water. As I had taken no care of it, and it had lain over 
twenty years there, the sun had split and dried it, and it was 
rotten. Friday told me a boat of that size would do very well, 
and would carry “ much enough vittle, drink, bread.” 

I was by this time so fixed on my design of going over with 
him to the continent, that I told him we w^ould make one as 
big as that, and he should go home in it. He answered not 
one word, but looked very grave and sad. I asked him what 
was the matter with him. 

He said: “Why you angry mad with Friday? What me 
done? Why send Friday home awaj to my nation?” 

“ Did not you say you wished you were there ? ” says I. 

“Yes, yes,” says he, “wish we both there; no wish Friday 
there, no master there.” 

“ I go there, Friday ? ” says I ; “ what shall I do there? ” 

He turned very quick upon me at this. “You do great deal 
much good,” says he; “you teach wild mans be good, sober, 
tame mans ; you tell them know God, pray God, and live new 
life.” 

“ Alas, Friday ! ” says I, “ thou knowest not what thou say- 
est ; I am but an ignorant man myself. You shall go without 
me. Leave me here to live by myself, as I did before.” 


nOBIKSON CRUSOE 


125 


He looked confused again at that ; and running to one of his 
hatchets, he takes it up, and gives it to me. 

“What must I do with this?” says I to him. 

“You take kill Friday,” says he. 

“ What must I kill you for ? ” said I. 

He replied : “What you send Friday away for ? Take kill 
Friday ; no send Friday away.” 

This he spoke very earnestly and I saw tears stand in his 
eyes. In a word, I so plainly discovered the utmost affection 
in him for me, that I told him then, and often after, that I 
would never send him away from me, if he was willing to stay 
with me. All the foundation of his desire to go to his own 
country was laid in his ardent affection for the people, and his 
hopes of my doing them good ; a thing which I had not the 
least thought, or intention, or desire of undertaking. But still 
I found a strong inclination to attempt an escape, and therefore 
I went to work with Friday to find a great tree proper to fell, 
and make a large canoe, to undertake the voyage. There were 
trees enough in the island to have built a fleet of good large 
vessels ; but the main thing I looked at was, to get one near 
the water. 

At last, Friday found a tree ; for he knew much better than 
I what kind of wood was fittest, and we cut it down. Friday 
was for burning the hollow out, to make a boat, but I showed 
him how to cut it out with tools ; which he did very handily ; 
and in about a month’s hard labor, we finished it and made it 
very handsome. After this, it cost us nearly a fortnight’s time 
to get her along, inch by inch, on great rollers into the water. 
When she was in, she would have carried twenty men with ease. 

Though she was so big, it amazed me to see with what dex- 
terity my man Friday could manage her, turn her, and paddle 
her along. So I asked him if we might venture over in her. 
“Yes,” he said; “we go over in her very well, though great 
blow wind.” 


126 


ADVENTURES OF 


However, I had a farther design he knew nothing of, and that 
was to make a mast and a sail, and to fit her with an anchor 
and cable. As to a mast, I pitched upon a straight young 
cedar tree, and I set Friday to work to cut it down, and gave 
him directions how to shape it. As to the sail, I had pieces of 
old sails, enough ; but as I had had them now six-and-twenty 
years, I did not doubt but they were all rotten ; and, indeed, 
most of them were. However, I found two pieces, which ap- 
peared pretty good, and with a great deal of pains, and awk- 
ward, tedious stitching, I at len^h made a three-cornered ugly 
shoulder-of-mutton sail, to go with a boom at bottom, and a 
little short sprit at the top. 

I was nearly two months rigging and fitting my mast and 
sails ; for I finished them very complete, making a small stay, 
and a foresail, to assist if we should turn to windward ; and 
I fixed a rudder to the stern. 

After all this was done, I had my man Friday to teach as 
to what belonged to the navigation of my boat ; for, though 
he knew very well how to paddle, he knew nothing of what 
belonged to a sail and a rudder; and was amazed when he 
saw me work the boat by the rudder, and how the sail jibbed, 
and filled this way or that way, as the course we sailed 
changed. However, with a little practice, I made all these 
things familiar to him, and he became an expert sailor, except 
that as to the compass I could make him understand very 
little. But, as there was not much cloudy weather, and sel- 
dom or never any fogs in those parts, there was the less' occa- 
sion for the compass ; the stars were always to be seen by 
night, and the shore by day, except in the rainy seasons, and 
then nobody cared to stir abroad either by land or sea. 


ROBINSON' CRUSOE 


127 


CHAPTER XII 

Three more canoes come to the island — I discover a white man among 
the prisoners brought by the savages — We attack the cannibals 
and release the white man, who proves to be a Spaniard, and an- 
other prisoner whom Friday finds is his old father — Sixteen of 
the Spaniard’s countrymen being on the mainland, whither they 
had escaped from a wreck four years previous, he goes after them 
accompanied by Friday’s father. 

I WAS now entered on the seven-and-twentieth year of my 
captivity in this place ; though the three last years ought 
rather to be left out of the account, for I had Friday with 
me, and my life was quite of another kind than in all the rest 
of my time. I kept the anniversary of my landing with the 
same thankfulness to God for his mercies as usual. I had an 
impression that my deliverance was at hand, and that I should 
not be another year on the island. However, I went on with 
my husbandry; digging, planting, and fencing, as before. I 
gathered and cured my grapes, and did every necessary thing. 

The rainy season w^as in the meantime upon me, when I 
kept more within doors than at other times. We had stowed 
our new vessel as secure as we could, bringing her into the 
creek, and hauling her up to the shore. I had made my man 
Friday dig a little dock, just big enough to hold her, and just 
deep enough to give her water to float in at high tide ; and 
then, when the tide was ebbed, we made a strong dam across 
the end of the dock to keep the water out. So she lay dry 
as to the sea ; and to keep the rain off, we covered her with 
a great many boughs of trees, so thick that she was as well 
thatched as a house. Thus we waited for the months of 
November and December, in which I designed to make my 
venture. 

When the settled season began, I prepared for the voyage. 
And the first thing I did was to lay by a certain quantity of 


128 


ADVENTURES OF 


provisions, and I intended, in a week or a fortnight’s time, to 
open the dock,* and launch our boat. One morning I called 
to Friday, and bid him go to the seashore, and try to find a 
turtle, a thing which we generally got once a week, for the 
sake of the eggs, as well as the flesh. Friday liad not been 
gone long when he came running back, and flew over my outer 
wall, like one that felt not the steps he set his feet on ; and 
before I had time to speak to him, he cries out to me : “ Oh, 
master ! Oh, master ! Oh, sorrow ! Oh, bad ! ” 

“ What’s the matter, Friday h ” said I. 

“ Oh ! yonder, there,” says he ; “ one, two, three canoe ! ” 

“Well, Friday,” says I, “do not be frighted.” 

However, the poor fellow was most terribly scared, for 
nothing ran in his head but that the savages were come back 
to look for him, and would cut him in pieces and eat him; 
and the poor fellow trembled so that I scarcely knew what to 
do with him. I comforted him as well as I could, and told 
him I was in as much danger as he. “ Friday, we must re- 
solve to fight them,” said I. “ Can you fight? ” 

“Me shoot,” says he; “but there come many great num- 
ber.” 

“No matter for that,” said I, “our guns will fright them 
that we do not kill.” 

So I asked him whether, if I resolved to defend him, he 
would defend me, and do just as I bid him. 

He said, “ Me die, when you bid die, master.” So I made 
him take two fowling-pieces, and load them with large swan- 
shot. Then I took four muskets, and loaded them with 
two slugs and five small bullets each ; and my two pistols I 
loaded with a brace of bullets each. I hung my sword, as 
usual, naked by my side, and gave Friday his hatchet. 

When I had thus prepared myself, I took my perspective- 
glass, and went up to the top of the hill, and found there were 
one-and-twenty savages, three prisoners, and three canoes; 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


129 


and that their whole business seemed to be the triumphant 
banquet on the three captives. I observed also that they 
landed, not where they had when Friday made his escape, but 
nearer to my creek, where the shore was low, and where a 
thick wood came almost down to the sea. The abhorrence of 
the inhuman errand these wretches came about, filled me with 
such indignation that I went down to Friday, and told him I 
was resolved to go and kill them all. 

I gave Friday one pistol to stick in his girdle, and three guns 
upon his shoulders, and I took one pistol and the other three 
guns myself ; and then we marched out. I had a small bottle 
of rum in my pocket, and gave Friday a large bag with more 
powder and bullets ; and I charged him to keep close behind 
me, and not to stir, or shoot, or do anything till I bid him, 
and in the meantime not to speak a word. In this posture I 
turned to my right hand nearly a mile, to get over the creek 
and into the wood, so that I might approach within shot of 
the savages before I should be discovered. 

I entered the wood, and with all possible wariness and 
silence, Friday following close at my heels, I marched till I 
came to the skirt of the wood on the side which was next to 
them. Here I called softly to Friday, and showing him a great 
tree, which was just at the edge of the wood, I bade him go 
to the tree, and bring me word what they were doing. He 
went, and then came immediately back, and told me they were 
all about their fire eating the flesh of one of their prisoners, and 
that another lay bound on the sand a little from them, whom 
they would kill next ; who was not one of their nation but one 
of the bearded men that came to his country in a boat. I 
was filled with horror ; and going to the tree, I saw plainly a 
white man on the beach with his hands and feet tied. 

There was another tree, and a little thicket beyond it, about 
fifty yards nearer to the savages than the place where I was. 
By going a little way about, I saw I might reach this tree 

K 


130 


ADVENTURES OF 


undiscovered, and that then I should be within half a shot of 
them. So going back about twenty paces, I got behind some 
bushes, which held all the way to the other tree, and then 
came to a little rising ground, which gave me a full view of the 
savages at the distance of about eighty yards. 

I had now not a moment to lose, for nineteen of the dread- 
ful wretches sat upon the ground, all close huddled together, 
and had just sent the other two to butcher the poor Christian, 
and bring him perhaps limb by limb to their fire. I turned to 
Friday. “ Now, Friday,” said I, “do as I bid thee, do 
exactly as you see me do ; fail in nothing.” 

So I laid down one of the muskets and the fowling-piece on 
the ground, and Friday did the same, and with my other 
musket I took aim at the savages, bidding him do the like. I 
asked him if he w^as ready. 

He said, “ Yes.” 

“ Then fire at them,” said I ; and we both fired at the same 
moment. 

Friday took his aim so much better than I, that on the side 
he shot he killed two, and wounded three more ; and on my side 
I killed one, and wounded two. The savages were, you may 
be sure, in a dreadful consternation ; and all of them that were 
not hurt jumped to their feet, but were undecided which way 
to run, or which way to look, for they knew not whence the 
destruction came. Friday kept his eyes upon me that he 
might observe what I did. As soon as the first shot was 
made, I threw down the musket, and took up the fowling- 
piece, and Friday did the like. He saw me cock and present, 
and he did the same. 

“ Are you ready, Friday ? ” said I. 

“Yes,” says he. 

“Let fly, then,” said I, “in the name of Godi ” and with 
that I fired again among the amazed wretches, and so did 
Friday ; and as our pieces were now loaded with swan shot, 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


131 


only two savages dropped, but the others ran about yelling and 
screaming like mad creatures, most of them miserably wounded ; 
whereof three more fell quickly after, though not quite dead. 

“Now, Friday,” said I, laying down the discharged pieces, 
and taking up the musket which was yet loaded, “ follow me,” 
and I rushed out of the wood. 

As soon as I perceived the Indians saw me, I shouted and 
bade Friday do so too, and running as fast as I could, I 
made directly toward the poor victim, who was lying on the 
beach. The two butchers had left him at the surprise of our 
first fire, and fled in a terrible fright to the seaside, and had 
jumped into a canoe, and three more of the rest ran the same 
way. I turned to Friday, and bade him step forward and fire 
at them. He understood me, and running about forty yards to 
be nearer, he shot ; and I saw them all fall in a heap in the 
boat, though two of them were up again quickly. 

While my man Friday fired at them, I -pulled out my knife 
and cut the flags that bound the poor victim ; and loosing his 
hands and feet, I lifted him up, and asked him, in the Por- 
tuguese tongue, what he was. 

He answered, in Latin, “ Christianus ” ; but was so weak and 
faint that he could scarce stand or speak. 

I took my bottle out of my pocket, and gave it to him, mak- 
ing signs that he should drink, which he did ; and I gave him 
a piece of bread, which he ate. Then I asked him what 
nationality he was, and he said, “ Espagnole,” and being a little 
recovered, let me know, by signs, how much he was in my debt 
for his deliverance. 

“ Seignior,” said I, with as much Spanish as I could make 
up, “we will talk afterward, but we must fight now. If 
you have any strength left, take this pistol and sword, and 
help us.” 

He took them thankfully ; and no sooner had he the arms 
in his hands, but, as if they had put new vigor into him, he 


132 


ADVENTURES OF 


flew upon his murderers like a fury, and had cut two of them 
in pieces in an instant ; for the truth is, as the whole was a 
surprise to them, the poor creatures were so much frighted 
with the noise of our guns that they fell down for mere amazement 
and fear, and some had no more power to attempt their own 
escape than their flesh had to resist our shot. 

I kept my musket in my hand still without firing. I called 
to Friday, and bade him run up to the tree whence we first 
fired, and fetch the arms which lay there that had been 
discharged, which he did with great swiftness ; and then giv- 
ing him my musket, I sat down to load all the rest. While I 
was loading these pieces, there happened a fierce engagement 
between the Spaniard and a savage who made at him with one 
of their great wooden swords. The Spaniard was as bold and 
brave as could be imagined, though weak, and he fought this 
Indian, and cut two great wounds on his head ; but the savage, 
being a stout lusty fellow, closing with him, threw him down, and 
was wringing my sword out of his hand ; when the Spaniard, 
though undermost, drew the pistol from his girdle, shot the 
savage through the body, and killed him, before I, who was 
running to help, could come near. 

Friday, being now left at liberty, pursued the flying wretches, 
with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet ; and with that he 
dispatched all he could come up with : and the Spaniard took 
one of the fowling-pieces, and with it he pursued two of the 
savages, and wounded them both ; but, as he was not able to 
run, they both got from him into the wood, where Friday 
followed them, and killed one of them. The other was too 
nimble for him ; and though he was wounded, yet plunged into 
the sea, and swam with all his might off to those two who 
were in the canoe, and they were all that escaped our hands 
of one-and-twenty. 

Those that were in the canoe worked hard to get out of gun- 
shot, and though Friday made two or three shots at them, I 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


133 


did not find that he hit any of them. Friday would have had 
me take one of their canoes, and pursue them ; and, indeed, I 
was very anxious about their escape, lest, carrying the news 
home to their people, they should come back, perhaps with two 
or three hundred of the canoes, and overcome us by mere multi- 
tude. So I consented, and running to a canoe I jumped in, and 
bade Friday follow me ; but when I was in the canoe, I was 
surprised to find another poor creature lying there, bound hand 
and- foot, and almost dead with fear, not knowing what was the 
matter ; for he had not been able to look up over the side of 
the boat, and he had been tied so long that he had really little 
life in him. 

I immediately cut the twisted flags or rushes which bound 
him, and would have helped him up, but he could not stand or 
speak, and groaned most piteously, believing that he was only 
unbound in order to be killed. I pulled out my bottle and 
gave the poor wretch a dram, which revived him, and he sat 
up in the boat. But when Friday came to look in his face, it 
would have moved any one to tears to have seen how Friday 
kissed him, embraced him, hugged him, cried, laughed, shouted, 
jumped about, danced, sang ; then cried again, wrung his hands, 
beat his own face and head ; and then sang and jumped about 
again like a distracted creature. It was a good while before I 
could make Friday speak to me, or tell me what was the matter ; 
but when he came a little to himself, he told me that this 
was his father. 

It is not easy for me to express how it touched me to see the 
ecstasy of the poor savage at the sight of his father, nor, indeed, 
can I describe half the extravagances of his affection. He went 
into the boat, and out of the boat, a great many times. When 
he went in, he would sit down and hold his father’s head close 
to his bosom. Then he took his arms and ankles, which were 
numbed and stiff with the binding, and chafed and nibbed them 
with his hands. 


134 


ADVENTURES OF 


This put an end to our pursuit of the savages in the canoe. 
They were now gotten almost out of sight ; and it was happy 
for us that we did not follow them, for it blew so hard within 
two hours after and before they could be got a quarter of their 
way, and continued blowing so hard all night, and that from the 
northwest, wliich was against them, that I could not suppose 
their boat could live, or that they ever reached their own 
coast. 

But to return to Friday. I gave him a cake of bread, and 
also two or three bunches of raisins, for his father. He had no 
sooner given his father these, but I saw him come out of the 
boat, and run away as if he had been bewitched, for he was the 
swiftest fellow that I ever saw. He was out of sight in an 
instant ; and though I called, and hallooed after him, away he 
went ; and in a quarter of an hour I saw him coming back, 
though not so fast as he went, because he had something in his 
hands. 

When he came up to me, I found he had been quite home for 
an earthen pot, to bring his father some fresh water, and that 
he had got two more cakes of bread. The bread he gave me, 
but the water he carried to his father. However, as I was very 
thirsty too, I took a little sup of it. This water revived his 
father more than all the spirits I had given him, for he was just 
fainting with thirst. 

I called to Friday to know if there was any water left. He 
said “ Yes ” ; and I bade him give it to the poor Spaniard, who 
was in as much want of it as his father ; and I sent one of the 
cakes, that Friday brought, to the Spaniard too, who was in- 
deed very weak, and was reposing on a green place under the 
shade of a tree. His limbs were stiff, and much swelled with 
the rude bandage he had been tied with. When I saw that 
upon Friday’s coming to him with the water he sat up and 
drank, and took the bread and began to eat, I went to him 
and gave him a handful of raisins. He looked up in my face 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


135 


with all the tokens of gratitude and thankfulness that could 
appear in any countenance ; but, notwithstanding he had so 
exerted himself in the fight, he could not stand on his feet his 
ankles were so swelled and so painful to him. So I bade him 
sit still, and caused Friday to rub his ankles, and bathe them 
with rum. 

I observed the poor aftectionate creature every two min- 
utes, or perhaps less, turned his head to see if his father was 
in the same place and posture as he left him. At last he 
noticed he was not to be seen ; at which he started up, and, with- 
out speaking a word, flew with that swiftness to the canoe one 
could scarce perceive his feet touch the gi’ound. But he only 
found his father had laid himself down to ease his limbs. So 
Friday came back and I spoke to the Spaniard to let Friday 
help him up and lead him to the boat, and then he should go 
to our dwelling, where I would take care of him. But Friday 
lifted the Spaniard up on his back, and carried him, and set 
him down softly in the canoe close to his father, and launched 
the boat, and paddled it along the shore faster than I could 
walk. He brought them both safe into our creek, and, leaving 
them in the boat, ran to fetch the other canoe ; and he had that 
in the creek almost as soon as I got there by land. Then he 
wafted us over, and helped our new guests out of the boat ; but 
they were neither of them able to walk. So I went to work 
and soon made a kind of hand-barrow to lay them on, and 
Friday and I carried them up both together upon it between us. 

But when we got them to the outside of our wall, or fortifi- 
cation, it was impossible to get them over. I set to work again, 
and Friday and I, in about two hours’ time, made a very hand- 
some tent, covered with old sails, in the space between our 
outward fence and the grove of young trees which I had planted. 
Here we made two beds of rice straw, with blankets laid upon 
it, to lie on, and another blanket to cover them on each bed. 

My island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich 


136 


ADVENTURES OF 


in subjects ; and it was a merry reflection, which I frequently 
made, how like a king I was. First of all, the whole country 
was my own property. Secondly, my people were perfectly 
subjected. I was absolute lord and lawgiver. They all owed 
their lives to me, and were ready to lay down their lives, if there 
had been occasion, for me. It was remarkable, too, that my 
three subjects were of three different religions : my man Friday 
was a Protestant, his father was a Pagan and a cannibal, and 
the Spaniard was a Papist. However, I allowed liberty of 
conscience throughout my dominions. 

As soon as I had secured my two rescued prisoners, and given 
them shelter, I ordered Friday to kill a yearling goat, out of my 
ffock. Then I set him to boiling and stewing, and made a 
very good dish of ffesh and broth, having put some barley 
and rice also into the broth ; and I carried it all into the new 
tent, and having placed a table there, I sat down, and ate my 
dinner with them, and, as well as I could, cheered and encour- 
aged them. Friday was my interpreter, especially to his 
father, and, indeed, to the Spaniard too ; for the Spaniard 
spoke the language of the savages pretty well. 

After we had supped, I ordered Friday to take one of the 
canoes and go and fetch our muskets and other firearms, which, 
for want of time, we had left at the place of battle. The next 
day, I had him go and bury the dead bodies of the savages, 
which lay open to the sun, and would presently be offensive. I 
also ordered him to bury the horrid remains of their barbarous 
feast ; all which he punctually performed, and defaced the 
very appearance of the savages having been there ; so that when 
I went again, I could scarce know where the place was, otherwise 
than by the trees near by. 

In a little time I began to take my former thoughts of a voyage 
to the mainland into consideration; being likewise assured by 
Friday’s father that I might depend upon good usage from his 
nation, if I would go. But my thoughts were a little suspended 


ROBINSOK CRUSOE 


137 


when I had a serious discourse with the Spaniard. There were 
sixteen more of his countrymen, who, having been cast away, 
lived at peace, indeed, with the savages, but were very sore put 
to it for necessaries. I asked him all the particulars of their 
voyage, and found they were in a Spanish ship, bound from 
the Rio de la Plata to Havana, that five of their men were 
drowned, when the ship was lost, and that the rest arrived, 
almost starved, on the cannibal coast, where they expected to 
be devoured. They had some arms with them, but these were 
perfectly useless, for they had no powder, the sea having spoiled 
all but a little, which they used, at their first landing, to 
provide themselves some food. 

I asked him if they had formed no plan of making an escape. 
He said they had many consultations about it ; but that hav- 
ing neither vessel, nor tools to build one, nor provisions of any 
kind, their councils always ended in tears and despair. 

I asked him how he thought they would receive a proposal 
from me, which might tend toward an escape. I told him I 
feared mostly their treachery and ill-usage of me, if I put my 
life in their hands ; for gratitude was no inherent virtue in the 
nature of man, nor did men always square their dealings by 
the obligations they had received so much as they did by the 
advantages they expected. I added that, otherwise, I was 
persuaded, if they were all here, we might, with so many hands, 
build a bark large enough to cany us all away, either to the 
Brazils southward, or to the islands or Spanish coast north- 
ward. 

He answered, with a great deal of candor, that their condition 
was so miserable, and that they were so sensible of it, that he 
believed they would abhor the thought of using any man un- 
kindly that should contribute to their deliverance ; and that, if 
I pleased, he would go to them, with the old man, Friday’s 
father, and discourse with them about it and return and bring 
me their answer : that he would make conditions with them 


138 


ADVENTURES OF 


upon their solemn oath, that they should be absolutely under 
my direction, as their commander. 

Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture to relieve them, 
if possible, and to send the old savage and this Spaniard 
over to them to treat. But when we had got all things in 
readiness for the voyage of these two, the Spaniard himself 
started an objection. He had been with us now about a month, 
during which time I had let him see in what maimer I 
provided for my support ; and he saw what stock of corn and 
rice I had, which would scarcely be sufficient for my family, 
now it was increased to four ; but much less would it be 
sufficient if his countrymen should come over. Least of all 
would it be sufficient to victual our vessel, if we should build 
one, in which to go away. So he told me he thought it would 
be advisable to dig and cultivate more land, as much as I could 
spare seed to sow, and that we should wait another harvest, 
that we might have a supply of corn for his countrymen, when 
they should come. 

His caution was so seasonable, and his advice so good, that 
I could not but be pleased with his proposal. So we fell to 
digging, as well as the wooden tools we were furnished with 
permitted ; and in about a month it was seed-time, and we had 
as much land ready as we sowed two-and-twenty bushels of 
barley on, and sixteen jars of rice, which was all the seed we 
had to spare. 

Having now society enough, and our number being sufficient 
to put us out of fear of the savages, if they had come, unless 
their number had been very great, we went freely all over the 
island, whenever we found occasion ; and as we had our 
deliverance upon our thoughts, I marked several trees which I 
thought fit for our work, and I set Friday and his father to cut- 
ting them down ; and caused the Spaniard to oversee and direct 
their work. T showed them with what indefatigable pains I 
had hewed a large tree into single planks, and I caused them 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


139 


to do the like, till they had made about a dozen large planks of 
good oak, nearly two feet broad, thirty-five feet long, and from 
two inches to four inches thick. What prodigious labor it took, 
any one may imagine. 

At the same time, I increased my little stock of tame goats as 
much as I could ; and for this purpose Friday and the Spaniard 
went out one day, and myself with Friday the next day, and we 
got about twenty young kids to breed up with the rest ; for 
whenever we shot the dam, we saved the kids and added them 
to our flock. But, above all, the season for curing the grapes 
coming on, I caused such a prodigious quantity to be hung up 
in the sun, that, I believe, they would have filled sixty or 
eighty barrels ; and these, with our bread, formed a great part 
of our food — very good living, too. 

It was now harvest, and from twenty-two bushels of barley 
we brought in and thrashed out more than two hundred and 
twenty bushels ; and the like in proportion of the rice, which 
was store enough for our food to the next harvest, though all 
the sixteen Spaniards had been with me ; or, if we had been 
ready for a voyage, it would very plentifully have victualled our 
ship to have carried us to any part of America. When we had 
thus housed and secured our magazine of corn, we fell to work 
to make more great baskets in which to keep it; and the 
Spaniard was very handy and dexterous at this. 

Now I gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the mainland, 
strictly charging him not to bring any man back who would not 
first swear, in the presence of himself and the old savage, that 
he would no way injure the person he should find in the island, 
and would be entirely under his command ; and I ordered that 
this should be put in writing and signed with their hands. 
How they were to do such a thing when I knew they had 
neither pen nor ink — that, indeed, was a question which we 
never asked. 

Under these instructions, the Spaniard and the old savage 


140 


ADVENTURES OF 


went away in one of the canoes which they were brought in 
when they came as prisoners to be devoured by the savages. 
I gave each of them a musket, and about eight charges of 
powder and ball, and provisions of bread, and of dried grapes, 
sufficient for themselves for many days, and sufficient for all 
the Spaniards for about eight days’ time ; and wishing them a 
good voyage, I saw them go, agreeing with them about a signal 
they should hang out at their return, by which I should know 
them at a distance when they came back. 

They went away, with a fair gale, on the day the moon was 
at full in the month of October. 


CHAPTER XIII 

I discover an English ship anchored near the island — A boat from the 
ship comes to the shore with eleven men in it, three of whom seem 
to be prisoners — The prisoners being left on the beach, while the 
rest go away inland, I go to the prisoners’ assistance and learn 
that they are the captain and mate of the ship and a passenger 
— I likewise learn that the crew has mutinied — By strategy we 
capture all of the crew who had come to the island. 

It was no less than eight days I had waited for the Span- 
iards, when a strange and unforeseen accident occurred. I was 
fast asleep in my hutch one morning, when my man Friday 
came running in to me, and called, “ Master, master, they are 
come, they are come ! ” 

I jumped up, and went out as soon as I could get my clothes 
on, through my little grove, which was by this time grown to 
be a very thick wood. But I was surprised, when, turning my 
eyes to the sea, I saw a boat at about a league and a half 
distance, standing in for the shore, with a shoulder-of-mutton 
sail. Also I obseiwed, presently, that it did not come from 
that side which the mainland lay on, but from the southernmost 
end of the island. Upon this I called Friday in, and bade 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


141 


him lie close, for these were not the people we looked for, and 
we did not know yet whether they were friends or enemies. 

In the next place, I went in to fetch my perspective -glass, 
to see what I could make of them; and, having taken the 
ladder out, I climbed up to the top of the hill, as I used to do 
when I was apprehensive of anything, and to get a plainer view 
without being discovered. I had scarce set my foot upon the 
hill, when my eyes discovered a ship lying at anchor, about 
two leagues and a half distant southeast. It appeared to be an 
English ship, and the boat appeared to be an English longboat. 

The joy of seeing a ship, which I had reason to believe was 
manned by my own countrymen, was such as I cannot describe ; 
but it occurred to me to consider what business an English 
ship could have here, since it was not the way to or from any 
part of the world where the English had any traflSc; and I 
knew there had been no storms to drive it in hither. If the 
ship’s people were really English, it was most probable that 
they were here upon no good design. 

I had not kept myself long watching till I saw the boat 
draw near the shore, as if the crew looked for a creek to thrust 
it in at, for convenience of landing. However, as they did 
not come quite far enough, they did not see the little inlet 
where I formerly landed my rafts, but ran their boat upon the 
beach, about half a mile from me. There were in all eleven 
men, whereof three were unarmed, and, as I thought, bound ; 
and when the first four or five were jumped on shore, they 
took those three out of the boat, as prisoners. One of the 
three I could perceive using the most passionate gestures of 
entreaty, affliction, and despair. The other two lifted up 
their hands sometimes and appeared concerned, but not to 
such a degree as the first. 

I was perfectly confounded at the sight, and knew not what 
the meaning of it could be. Friday called out to me, “ Oh, mas- 
ter ! you see English mans eat prisoner as well as savage mans.” 


142 


ADVENTURES OF 


“ Why, Friday,” says I, “ do you think they are going to 
eat them, then h ” 

“Yes,” says Friday, “they will eat them.” 

“No, no, Friday!” says I, “I am afraid they will murder 
them, indeed ; but you may be sure they will not eat them.” 

All this while I had no thought of what the matter really 
was, but stood trembling with the horror of the sight, expect- 
ing every moment the three prisoners would be killed. Once 
I saw one of the villains lift up a great cutlass to strike one 
of the poor men ; at which all the blood in my body seemed 
to run chill in my veins. 

I wished heartily now for my Spaniard, and the savage that 
was gone with him, or that I had some way to get undiscov- 
ered within shot of them, that I might rescue the three men. 
After their outrageous usage by the insolent seamen, the fellows 
ran scattering about the land, as if they wanted to see the 
country. I observed also that the three men had liberty to 
go where they pleased ; but they sat down on the ground, very 
pensive, and looked like men in despair. 

It was just at high water when these people came on shore ; 
and while they rambled about to see what kind of a place they 
were in, they carelessly stayed till the tide was spent, and the 
water ebbed considerably away, so that their boat was aground. 
They had left two men in the boat, who, as I learned afterwards, 
having drunk a little too much brandy, fell asleep. One of 
them, waking and finding the boat fast aground, hallooed out 
for the rest, who were straggling about ; upon which they all 
came to the boat; but it was past their strength to launch 
her, the boat being very heavy, and the shore on that side 
a soft oozy sand. In this condition, like true seamen, away 
they strolled about the country again ; and I heard one of 
them calling, “Why, let her alone; she’ll fioat next tide.” 

All this while I kept myself close, not once daring to stir 
out of my castle, any farther than to my place of observation 


ROBIJSrSON CRUSOE 


143 


near the top of the hill ; and very glad I was to think how 
well the place was fortified. I knew it would be no less than 
ten hours before the boat could fioat again, and by that time 
it would be dark, and I might be at liberty to get nearer these 
intruders and hear their discourse, if they had any. In the 
meantime, I fitted myself up for a battle. 

It was my design not to venture forth till dark ; but about 
two o’clock, being the heat of the day, I found the fellows 
were all gone straggling into the woods. The three poor dis- 
tressed men had, however, sat down under the shelter of a 
great tree, at about a quarter of a mile from me. Upon this 
I resolved to discover myself to them, and learn something of 
their condition. I ordered Friday, whom I had made an 
excellent marksman with his gun, to load himself with arms. 
I took myself two fowling-pieces, and I gave him three mus- 
kets. My figure, indeed, was very fierce. I had my goatskin 
coat on, with the great cap I had mentioned, a naked sword, 
two pistols in my belt, and a gun upon each shoulder. Imme- 
diately I marched, with my man Friday at a good distance 
behind me, as formidable for his arms as I, but not quite so 
spectre-like. I came as near the men undiscovered as I could, 
and then, before any of them saw me, I called to them. 

They started up at the noise, but were ten times more 
confounded when they saw me, and the uncouth figure that 
I made. I thought I perceived them just going to fly and I 
said : “ Gentlemen, do not be surprised at me. Perhaps you 
may have a friend near, when you did not expect it.” 

“ He must be sent directly from heaven, then,” said one of 
them, very gravely, pulling off his hat at the same time. 

“ All help is from heaven, sir,” said I ; “ but you seem to be 
in some great distress. I saw you when you landed.” 

The poor man, trembling and astonished, replied : “ Am I 
talking to God or man ? Is it a man or an angel ? ” 

“ If God had sent an angel to relieve you,” said I, “ the angel 


144 


ADVENTURES OF 


would have come better clothed, and armed after another man- 
ner. Pray lay aside your fears. I am an Englishman and dis- 
posed to assist you. I have one servant only ; but we have 
arms and ammunition. Tell us freely, can we serve you h ” 

“ Sir,” said he, pointing across the water, “ I was commander 
of that ship. My men have mutinied against me. They have 
been hardly prevailed on not to murder me, and have set me 
on shore in this desolate place, with these two men — one my 
mate, the other a passenger, and we expected to perish, believ- 
ing the place to be uninhabited.” 

“ Where are these brutes, your enemies ? ” said I ; “do you 
know where they are gone 1 ” 

“ There they lie, sir,” said he, pointing to a thicket of trees. 
“ My heart trembles for fear they have seen us and heard you 
speak. If they have, they will certainly murder us all.” 

“ Have they any firearms 1 ” said I. 

He answered, “ They had only two pieces, one of which is in 
the boat.” 

“Well, then,” said I, “leave the rest to me. I see they are 
asleep. It is an easy thing to kill them all; but shall we 
rather take them prisoners 1 ” 

He told me there were two desperate villains among them 
that it was scarce safe to show any mercy to ; but if they were 
secured, he believed all the rest would return to their duty. I 
asked him which the villains were. He told me he could not 
at that distance distinguish them, but he would obey my orders 
in anything I would direct. 

“Well,” says I, “let us retreat out of their view or hearing, 
lest they awake, and we will resolve further.” 

So we went back till the woods covered us. “ Look you, 
sir,” said I ; “ if I venture upon your deliverance, are you will- 
ing to make two conditions with me ? ” 

He anticipated my proposals by telling me that both he and 
the ship, if recovered, should be wholly directed and commanded 


EOBINSON CRUSOE 


145 


by me in everything ; and if the ship was not recovered, he 
would live and die with me in what part of the world soever I 
should send him ; and the two other men said the same. 

“Well,” said I, “my conditions are : first — that while you 
stay on this island with me, you will do no prejudice to me or 
mine and be governed by my orders; secondly — that if the 
ship is recovered, you will carry me and my man to England 
passage free.” 

He gave me all the assurance the invention of man could 
devise that he would comply with these demands. 

“ Well, then,” said I, “ here are three muskets for you, with 
powder and ball. Tell me next what you think is proper to be 
done.” 

He offered to be wholly guided by me. I told him the best 
method I could think of was to fire on the men at once as 
they lay. 

He said, very modestly, that he was loath to kill them if he 
could help it. Seeing him cautious of shedding blood, I told 
him he and his companions should go themselves, and manage, 
as they found convenient. 

In the middle of this discourse we heard some of the men 
awake, and soon afterward we saw two of them on their feet. 

I asked him if either of them were the men who were the heads 
of the mutiny? 

He said, “ No.” 

“Then you may let them escape,” said I ; “and Providence 
seems to have awakened them on purpose to save themselves. 
If the rest escape you, it is your fault.” 

He took the musket I had given him in his hand, and a 
pistol in his belt, and went off, followed by his two comrades, 
each with a gun in his hand. The two men made some noise, 
at which one of the seamen, who was awake, turned about, and 
seeing them coming, cried out to the rest ; but it was too late 
then, for the moment he cried out the two men fired. They 

L 


146 


ADVENTURES OF 


had so well aimed their shot that one of the seamen was killed 
on the spot, and another very much wounded started up on his 
feet, and called eagerly for help ; but the captain, stepping to 
him, told him it was too late to cry for help. He should call 
upon God to forgive his villany, and with that word knocked 
him down with the stock of his musket, so that he never spoke 
more. There were three others in the company, and one of 
them was slightly wounded. By this time I was come ; and 
when they saw their danger, and that it was in vain to resist, 
they begged for mercy. The captain told them he would spare 
their lives if they would swear to be faithful to him in recover- 
ing the ship, and carrying her back to Jamaica, whence they 
came. They gave him all the protestations of their sincerity 
that could be desired ; and he was willing to believe them, and 
spare their lives, which I was not against, only I obliged him 
to have them bound hand and foot. 

While this was doing, I sent Friday with the captain’s mate 
to the boat, with orders to secure her, and bring away the oars 
and sails, which they did ; and by and by three straggling men, 
that were parted from the rest, came back upon hearing the guns 
fired ; and seeing the captain, who before was their prisoner, 
now their conqueror, they submitted to be bound also ; and so 
our victory was complete. 

It now remained that the captain and I should inquire into 
one another’s circumstances. I told him my whole history, 
which he heard with amazement — and when he reflected how I 
seemed to have been preserved there on purpose to save his life, 
the tears ran down his face, and he could not speak a word. 

After this communication was at an end, I carried him and 
his two men into my apartments, where I refreshed them with 
such provisions as I had, and showed them the contrivances I 
had made during my long, long inhabiting that place. Above 
all, the captain admired my fortification and how perfectly I 
had concealed my retreat. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


147 


I told him this was my castle and my residence, but that I 
had a country seat as most princes have, whither I could re- 
tire upon occasion, and I would show him that another time. 
At present our business was to consider how to recover the ship. 
He told me he was perfectly at a loss what measures to take, 
for there were still six-and-twenty hands on board, who, having 
entered into a conspiracy, by which they had all forfeited their 
lives to the law, would be hardened now by desperation, know- 
ing that if they were subdued, they would be brought to the 
gallows as soon as they came to England, or to any of the Eng- 
lish colonies. Therefore, there would be no attacking them 
with so small a number as we were. 

I mused for some time upon what he said, and found it was 
a very rational conclusion, and that something must be resolved 
on very speedily, to draw the men on board into some snare for 
their surprise. It presently occurred to me that in a little while 
the ship’s crew, wondering what was become of their comrades, 
would row to shore in their other boat to look for them, and 
that, perhaps, they might come armed, and be too strong for 
us. 

I told him the first thing we had to do was to stave the boat, 
which lay upon the beach, so they might not carry her off, and 
that we must take everything out of her, and leave her useless. 
Accordingly we went to the boat, took the arms which were left, 
and whatever else we found, — which was a bottle of brandy, 
and another of rum, a few biscuit-cakes, a horn of powder, and 
a great lump of sugar in a piece of canvas ; all which was very 
welcome to me, especially the sugar, of which I had had none 
for many years. When we had carried all these things on shore 
(the oars, mast, sail, and rudder were carried away before), we 
knocked a great hole in the bottom of the boat. It was not 
much in my thoughts that we would be able to recover the 
ship ; but my view was, that if the mutineers sailed without 
the boat, I did not question to make her fit to carry us away. 


148 


ADVENTURES OF 


While we were thus preparing our designs, and had anchored 
the boat so that the tide would not float her off, we heard the 
ship fire a gun as a signal for the boat to return ; but no boat 
stirred, and they fired several times. At last when all their 
firing proved fruitless, we saw them, by the help of my 
glass, hoist another boat out, and row toward the shore ; and 
we found, as they approached, that there' were no less than ten 
men in her, and that they had firearms with them. 

As the ship lay almost two leagues from the shore, we had a 
full view of them as they came, and a plain sight even of their 
faces ; because the tide, having set them a little to the east of 
the other boat, they rowed up under shore to come to the same 
place where the other had landed. The captain knew the char- 
acters of all the men in the boat, of whom, he said, there were 
three very honest fellows, who, he was sure, were led into this 
conspiracy by the rest, being overpowered and frighted. As 
for the boatswain, who it seems was the chief officer among 
them, and all the others, they were as outrageous as any of the 
ship’s crew, and terribly apprehensive was he that they would 
be too powerful for us. 

I smiled at him. “ For my part,” said I, “ there seems to be 
but one thing amiss.” 

“ What is that 1 ” says he. 

“ Why,” said I, “ it is that there are three or four honest 
fellows among them, who should be spared. Had they been all 
of the wicked part of the crew, I should have thought God’s 
providence had singled them out to deliver them into your 
hands ; for, depend upon it, every man that comes ashore shall 
die or live as he behaves to us.” 

As I spoke this with a raised voice and cheerful countenance, 
I found it greatly encouraged him. We had, upon the first ap- 
pearance of the boat coming from the ship, secured our prison- 
ers effectually. Two of them, of whom tlie captain was less 
assured than ordinary, I sent with Friday to my cave, where 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


149 


they were out of danger of being heard or discovered, or of 
finding their way out of the woods, if they could have delivered 
themselves. He left them bound, but promised, if they con- 
tinued there quietly, to give them their liberty in a day or 
two ; but that if they attempted their escape, they should be 
put to death without mercy. They promised faithfully to bear 
their confinement with patience, and were very thankful that 
they had such good usage as to have a light left them ; for 
Friday gave them candles (such as we made ourselves) for 
their comfort ; and they did not know but that he stood sen- 
tinel over them at the entrance. 

The other prisoners had better usage. Two of them were 
kept pinioned, indeed, because the captain was not free to 
trust them ; but the other two were taken into my service, 
upon the captain’s recommendation, and upon their solemnly 
engaging to live and die with us. So with them and the three 
honest men we were seven ; and I made no doubt we should be 
able to deal well enough with the ten that were coming, con- 
sidering that the captain had said there were three or four 
honest men among them also. 

As soon as they got to the place where the other boat lay, 
they came on shore, hauling their boat up after them, which I 
was "glad to see, for I was afraid they would have left the boat 
at anchor some distance from the shore, with men in her to 
guard her, and so we should not be able to seize d;he boat. 

Being on shore, the first thing they did, they ran all to the 
other boat ; and it was easy to see they were greatly surprised 
to find her stripped of all that was in her, and a great hole in 
her bottom. After they had mused awhile upon this, they set 
up two or three shouts to try if they could make their com- 
panions hear ; but all to no purpose. Then they fired a volley 
of their small-arms, and the echoes made the woods ring ; but 
the men in the cave could not hear ; and those in our keeping, 
though they heard well enough, yet durst give no answer. The 


150 


ADVENTURES OF 


newcomers were so astonished now that, as they told us after- 
wards, they resolved to go to their ship and let the rest know 
that the men who first landed were all murdered, and the long 
boat staved. Accordingly, they launched their boat and gat all 
of them into it. 

The captain was terribly confounded at this, believing they 
would go on board and set sail, and so he would lose the ship, 
which he was in hopes we should recover ; but he was quickly 
as much frighted the other way. They had not been long 
put off with the boat, when w^e perceived them all coming on 
shore again. After consulting together they left three men in 
the boat, and the rest went into the country to look for their 
fellows. 

Now we were at a loss what to do, as our seizing the seven 
men on shore w^ould be no advantage to us if we let those in 
the boat escape ; because they would row away to the ship, and 
then with the rest would be sure to set sail. 

The three who remained in the boat put her off to a good 
distance from the shore, and came to anchor to wait. Those 
that were on shore kept close together, marching toward the 
top of the little hill under which my habitation lay. When 
they were come to the brow of the hill w'here they could see a 
great way into the valleys and woods tow^ard the northeast 
part, where the land lay the lowest, they shouted and hallooed 
till they were* weary ; and not caring, it seems, to venture far 
from the shore, nor far from one another, they sat down together 
under a tree to consider. Had they thought fit to have gone 
to sleep there, they had done the job for us ; but they were too 
full of apprehensions of danger to venture to go to sleep, though 
they could not tell what the danger was they had to fear. 

The captain made a very just proposal to me, that perhaps 
they would fire a volley again, to endeavor to make their fellows 
hear, and that we should sally upon them just at the juncture 
when their guns were all discharged, and they would certainly 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


151 


yield, and we should have them without bloodshed. I liked 
this proposal, provided they fired while we were near enough 
to come up to them before they could load again. But , this 
event did not happen, and we lay still a long time, and were 
very uneasy. At length we saw them all march down toward 
the sea. 

When I perceived this, I imagined that they had given up 
their search, but I presently thought of a stratagem to fetch 
them back. I ordered Friday and the captain’s mate to go 
over the little creek westward, and as soon as they came to a 
rising ground, about half a mile distant, I bade them halloo as 
loud as they could, and wait till they found the seamen heard 
them ; that when the seamen answered they should shout again ; 
and then keeping out of sight, take a round, always answering 
when the others hallooed, to draw them as far into the island 
as possible, and then wheel about to me by, such ways as I 
directed. 

The seamen were just going into the boat when Friday and 
the mate hallooed ; and, after answering, they ran along the 
shore until they were presently stopped by the creek. The 
water being up, they called for the boat to come and set them 
over; as, indeed, I expected. 

When they were over, I observed that the boat being gone 
up a good way into the creek, they took one of the three men 
out of her to go along with them and left the boat fastened to 
the stump of a little tree on the shore. This was what I 
wished for ; and crossing the creek we surprised the two men ; 
one of them lying on the shore and the other in the boat. The 
fellow on shore was between sleeping and waking, but he 
started up, and the captain, who was foremost, knocked him 
down ; and then called out to him in the boat to yield, or he 
was a dead man. 

There needed very few arguments to persuade a single man 
to yield, when he saw five men upon him, and his comrade 


152 


ADVENTURES OF 


knocked down. Besides, this man was one of the three who 
were not so hearty in the mutiny as the rest of the crew ; and, 
therefore, was easily persuaded not only to yield, but to join 
with us. 

In the meantime, Friday and the captain’s mate so well 
managed their business with the rest, that they drew them, by 
hallooing and answering, from one hill to another, and from 
one wood to another, till they not only tired them, but left 
them where they could not get back to the boat before it was 
dark. 

It was several hours after Friday returned to me before we 
saw anything more of the seamen, and we could hear the fore- 
most of them, as they approached, calling to those behind to 
come along ; and could also hear those answer, and complain 
how lame and tired they were, and not able to come any 
faster, which was very welcome news to us. 

It is impossible to express their confusion when they found 
the boat fast aground in the creek, the tide ebbed out, and 
their two men gone. We could hear them call to one another 
in a most lamentable manner, declaring they were got into an 
enchanted island ; that either there were inhabitants in it, and 
they would all be murdered, or else there were devils and 
spirits in it, and they would be all carried away and devoured. 

They hallooed again, and called their two comrades by their 
names a great many times ; but got no answer. After a while, 
we could see them, by the little light there was, run about, 
wringing their hands like men in despair, and sometimes they 
would go and sit down in the boat to rest themselves ; then 
come ashore and walk about, and so the same thing over again. 

My men would fain have had me give them leave to fall 
upon them at once ; but I resolved to wait, to see if they did 
not separate ; and to make sure of them, I drew my ambuscade 
nearer. Then I ordered Friday and the captain to creep on 
their hands and knees, as close as they could. They had not 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


153 


been long gone, when the boatswain, who was the ringleader 
of the mutiny, came walking toward them, with two more of 
the crew. The captain was so eager at having the principal 
rogue so much in his power, that he and Friday, starting up on 
their feet, let fly at them. The boatswain was killed on the 
spot ; the next man was shot in the body, and fell, though he 
did not die till an hour or two after ; and the third ran. 

At the noise of the firing, I immediately advanced with my 
whole army, which was now eight men ; Friday, the captain 
and his two men, and the three prisoners of war, whom w^e had 
trusted with arms. In the dark the mutineers could not see 
our number ; and I ordered the man they had left in the boat, 
who was now one of us, to call them by name, and bring them 
to a parley. So he calls out as loud as he could to one of them, 
» Tom Smith ! Tom Smith ! ” 

Tom Smith answered immediately, “Who’s that? Robin- 
son?” for he knew the voice. 

The other answered, “ Ay, ay ; for God’s sake, Tom Smith, 
throw down your arms and yield, or you are all dead men this 
moment.” 

“ Who must we yield to ? Where are they ? ” says Smith. 

“ Here they are,” says Robinson. “ Here’s our captain and 
fifty men with him. They have been hunting you these two 
hours ; the boatswain is killed, Will Frye is wounded, and I am 
a prisoner ; and if you do not yield, you are all lost.” 

“Will they give us quarter ? ” says Tom Smith. 

“ I’ll go and ask if you promise to yield,” says Robinson. 

So he asked the captain; and the captain then calls out, 
“ You, Smith, you know my voice ; if you all lay down your 
arms immediately, and submit, you shall have your lives, all 
but Will Atkins.” 

Upon this Will Atkins cried out : “For God’s sake, captain, 
give me quarter. What have I done ? They have all been as 
bad as I,” — which, by the way, was not true ; for this Will 


154 


ADVENTURES OF 


Atkins was the first man that laid hold of the captain, when 
they first mutinied, tying his hands, and giving him injurious 
language. 

However, the captain told him he must lay down his arms, 
and trust to the mercy of the governor — by which he meant 
me, for they all called me governor. In a word, they all laid 
down their arms, and I sent the man that had parleyed with 
them, and two more, who bound them ; and then my great 
army of fifty men, which were but eight, came and seized 
them and their boat ; only that I kept myself out of sight. 

The captain, now he had leisure, expostulated with them 
upon the villany of their practices, and how certainly it must 
bring them to misery and distress, and perhaps to the gallows. 

They all appeared very penitent, and begged hard for their 
lives. As for that, he told them they were none of his pris- 
oners, that they thought they had set hiin on shore in a barren, 
uninhabited island ; but it had pleased God so to direct them, 
that it was inhabited, and that the governor was an English- 
man ; that he might hang them all if he pleased ; but as he 
had given them quarter, he would probably send them to Eng- 
land, to be dealt with, except Atkins, who would be hanged in 
the morning. 

Though this was a fiction of his own, it had its desired effect. 
Atkins fell upon his knees to beseech the captain to intercede 
with the governor for his life; and all the rest begged that 
they might not be sent to England. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


155 


CHAPTER XIV 

Of the measures we took to regain possession of the ship — I accept the 
offer of the captain to take me back to England, and I leave my 
island after having been there more than eight and twenty years — 
I reach England and find that nearly all my relatives and old 
friends are dead — I visit Lisbon and discover that the Portuguese 
captain who carried me to the Brazils is still alive — From him I 
learn that my plantation in the Brazils has largely increased in 
value — He assists me to sell it and I return to England. 

It now occurred to me that it would be a most* easy thing to 
bring these fellows to help heartily in getting possession of the 
ship. So I retired in the dark from them, that they might not 
see what kind of a governor they had, and called the captain 
to me. When I called, one of the men was ordered to say, 
“ Captain, the commander calls for you ; ” and presently he 
replied, “ Tell his Excellency I am just coming.” 

This more perfectly bewildered the prisoners, and they all 
believed that the commander was just by, with his fifty men. 
Upon the captain’s coming to me, I told him my project for 
seizing the ship, and we resolved to put it in exeeution next 
morning. But, in order to execute it with greater certainty of 
success, I told him we must send Atkins and two more of the 
worst of them to the cave where the others lay. So Friday 
and the two men who came on shore with the captain conveyed 
the three prisoners to the cave. 

The others I ordered to my bower ; and as it was fenced in, 
and they pinioned, they were secure enough. To these in the 
morning I sent the captain, who was to parley wdth them and 
tell me whether he thought they might be trusted to go on 
board and surprise the ship. He talked to them of the injury 
done him, of the condition they were brought to, and that 
though the governor had given them quarter for their lives 
as to the present action, yet if they were sent to England, 


156 


ADVENTURES OF 


they would be all hanged in chains ; but if they would join 
in an attempt to recover the ship, he would get the governor’s 
engagement for their pardon. 

Any one may guess how readily such a proposal would be 
accepted. They fell down on their knees to the captain, and 
promised, with the deepest imprecations, that they would be 
faithful to him. 

“Well,” says the captain, “I must go and tell the governor 
what you say, and see what I can do to induce him to consent 
to it.” 

So he brought me an account of the temper he found them in, 
and said he believed they would be faithful. However, that 
we might be very secure, I told him he should go back again 
and choose out five and tell them that he would take out those 
five to be his assistants, and that the governor would keep the 
other two and the three that were sent prisoners to the castle 
(my cave) as hostages for the fidelity of those five ; and that 
if they proved unfaithful, the five hostages should be hanged. 

This convinced them that the governor was in , earnest. 
They had no way left but to accept the situation ; and it was 
now the business of the prisoners, as much as of the captain, 
to persuade the other five to do their duty. 

Our strength for the expedition therefore consisted of the 
captain, his mate, and passenger, and nine of the crew to whom, 
upon the captain’s motion, I now gave arms. 

I asked the captain if he was willing to venture with these 
hands on board the ship. As for me and my man Friday, I 
did not think it was proper for us to go with him, having 
seven prisoners left behind ; and it was employment enough for 
us to keep them secure and supply them with victuals. 

The captain expressed his eagerness to attempt the capture 
of his vessel, and he had only to wait until he could furnish his 
two boats, stop the breach of one, and man them. He made 
his passenger captain of one, with four men. Himself, his 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


157 


mate, and five more went in the other. They contrived their 
business very well, for they came to the ship about mid- 
night. As soon as they were within call, he had Robinson 
hail the ship, and tell the mutineers they had brought 
oft* the men and the boat, but that it was a long time 
before they had found them, and the like; holding them in 
a chat till they came to the ship’s side. Then the captain 
and the mate, entering with their arms, immediately knocked 
down the second mate and carpenter with the butt-end of their 
muskets. Being very faithfrdly seconded by their men, they 
secured all the rest that were on the main and quarter decks, and 
began to fasten the hatches to keep those down that were be- 
low. The men from the other boat, entering at the fore-chains, 
secured the forecastle of the ship, and the scuttle which went 
down into the cook-room, making three men they found there 
prisoners. 

When this was done, and all safe on deck, the captain 
ordered the mate, with three men, to break into the round- 
house, where the rebel captain lay, who, having taken the 
alarm, had got up. With him were two men and a boy, and 
they had firearms in their hands. When the mate, with a 
crow, split open the door, the new captain and his men fired 
boldly, and wounded the mate with a musket-ball, which broke 
his arm, and wounded two more men, but killed nobody. 

The mate, calling for help, rushed into the round-house, 
wounded as he was, and with his pistol shot the new captain 
through the head, so that he never spoke a word more. The 
rest yielded, and the ship was taken without any other lives lost. 

As soon as the ship was thus secured, the captain ordered 
seven guns to be fired, which was the signal agreed upon to 
give me notice of his success. You may be sure I was very 
glad, having sat watching upon the shore till nearly two o’clock 
in the morning. 

Now I laid me down ; and it having been a day of great 


158 


ADVENTURES OF 


fatigue to me, I slept very sound till I heard a man calling me 
by the name of “ Governor ! Governor ! ” and presently I knew 
the captain^s voice. 

I climbed to the top of the hill, where he embraced me in 
his arms, and, pointing to the ship, said, “ My dear friend and 
deliverer, there’s your ship ; for she is yours, and so are we, and 
all that belongs to her.” 

I cast my eyes to the ship, and there she rode, within little 
more than half a mile of the shore ; for they had weighed 
anchor as soon as they were masters of her, and the weather 
being fair, had brought her opposite the mouth of the little 
creek; and the captain had come in the pinnace to near the 
place where I landed my rafts, just at my door. 

When we had talked a while, the captain told me he had 
brought me some refreshments, such as the ship afforded, and 
such as the wretches that had been his masters had not plundered 
him of. Upon this, he called to the men in the boat, and bade 
them bring the things ashore that were for the governor ; and 
these were as many and generous as if I had been planning to 
dwell on the island still, and they were to go without me. There 
were six large bottles of Madeira wine, two pounds of excellent 
tobacco, twelve good pieces of the ship’s beef, and six pieces of 
pork, with a bag of peas, and about a hundredweight of biscuit. 
He also brought me a box of sugar, a box of flour, a bag full of 
lemons, and two bottles of lime-juice, and abundance of other 
things. But beside these, and what was a thousand times more 
useful, he brought me six new clean shirts, six very good neck- 
cloths, two pairs of gloves, one pair of shoes, a hat, and a pair 
of stockings, and a good suit of clothes of his own, which had 
been worn very little. In a word, he clothed me from head to 
foot. It was a very agreeable present, to one in my circum- 
stances ; but never was anything in the world so unpleasant, 
awkward, and uneasy as it was to me to wear such clothes at 
their first putting on. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


159 


After all his good things were in my apartment, we began to 
consult what was to be done with the prisoners we had ; for it 
was worth considering whether we might venture to take them 
away with us or no, especially two of them, whom he knew to 
be incorrigible and refractory to the last degree ; and the captain 
said they were such rogues that if he did carry them away, it 
must be in irons, as malefactors, to be delivered over to justice 
at the first English colony he could come at. 

Upon this, I told him that, if he desired it, I would under- 
take to bring the two men he spoke of to make it their own 
request that he should leave them on the island. “ I would be 
very glad of that,” says the captain. 

“ Well,” says I, “ I will send for them, and talk with them.” 

So I caused Friday and the two hostages who were now dis- 
charged, their comrades having performed their promise, to go 
to the cave, and bring the five men, pinioned as they were, to 
the bower and keep them there till I came. 

After some time, -I went thither dressed in my new clothes ; 
and I was called governor. Being all met, and the captain 
with me, I told the men I had got a full account of their vil- 
lanous behavior to the captain, and how they had run away 
with the ship, and were preparing to commit further robberies, 
but that Providence had ensnared them in their own ways, and 
that they were fallen into the pit which they had dug for others. 

I let them know that by my direction the ship had been 
seized ; and their new captain had received the reward of his 
villany, for they might see him hanging at the yard-arm. As 
to them, I wanted to know what they had to say why I should 
not execute them as pirates. 

One of them answered that when they were taken, the cap- 
tain promised them their lives, and they humbly implored my 
mercy. But I told them I knew not what mercy to show 
them ; for I had resolved to quit the island with all my men, 
and had taken passage with the captain to go to England. As 


160 


ADVENTURES OF 


for the captain, he could not carry them to England other than 
as prisoners in irons, to be tried for mutiny ; the consequence 
of which would be the gallows ; so that I could not tell what 
was best for them, unless they had a mind to take their fate 
in the island. 

They said they would much rather venture to stay there 
than be carried to England to be hanged. I accordingly set 
them at liberty, and told them I wmuld leave them some fire- 
arms, some ammunition, and directions how they could live 
very well if they thought fit. 

Upon this I prepared to leave the island ; but told the cap- 
tain I would stay for a little while to get my things ready, and 
desired him to go on board the ship in the meantime, and keep 
all right there, and have the boat come to shore later for me. 

When the captain was gone, .1 sent for the men whom we 
were to leave behind, and entered seriously into discourse with 
them of their circumstances. I told them the whole history of 
the place, showed them my fortifications, the way I made my 
bread, planted my corn, and cured my grapes. I told them the 
story also of the seventeen Spaniards, that were to be expected, 
for whom I left a letter, and made them promise to treat them 
in common with themselves. 

♦ I left them five muskets, three fowling-pieces, and three 
swords, and a barrel and a half of powder. I described the 
way I managed the goats, and explained how to milk and fat- 
ten them, and to make both butter and cheese. In a word, I 
related every part of my story; and told the men I should 
prevail with the captain to leave them two barrels of gunpow- 
der more, and some garden-seeds. Also, I gave them the bag 
of peas which the captain had brought me to eat, and bade 
them be sure to sow the peas and increase them. 

Having done all this, I went on board the ship. We pre- 
pared to sail, but did not start that night. The next morning 
early, two of the five men came swimming to the ship’s side. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


161 


They made the most lamentable complaint of the other three, 
and begged the captain to take them on board, though he 
hanged them immediately. 

The captain pretended to have no power without me ; but 
after consulting, and after their solemn promises of amendment, 
they were taken on board, and they proved very honest and 
quiet fellows. 

Some time after this, I went with the boat on shore, the 
tide being up, with the things promised to the men ; to which 
the captain, at my intercession, caused their chests and clothes 
to be added. 

When I took leave of the island, I carried on board, for 
relics, the great goatskin cap I had made, my umbrella, and 
one of my parrots. Also I took the money which had lain by 
me so long useless, and thus I left the island, the 19th of De- 
cember, in the year 1686, after I had been upon it eight-and- 
twenty years, two months, and nineteen days. 

After a long voyage, I arrived in England the 11th of June, 
in the year 1687, having been thirty-five years absent. When I 
came to England I was almost as perfect a stranger as if I had 
never been known there. My benefactor and faithful steward, 
with whom I had left my money in trust, was alive, but had had 
great misfortunes ; was become a widow the second time, and 
very low in the world. I made her easy as to what she owed 
me, assuring her I would give her no trouble ; but, on the con- 
trary, in gratitude for her former care and faithfulness, I re- 
lieved her as much as my little means would afford. 

I went afterwards to Yorkshire ; but my father was dead, and 
my mother and all the family extinct, except that I found two 
sisters and two of the children of one of my brothers ; and as I 
had been long ago given over for dead, there had been no provi- 
sion made for me ;* so that I found nothing to relieve or assist me. 

I met with one piece of gratitude, indeed, which I did not 
expect ; and this was, that the master of the ship, whom I had 

M 


162 


ADVENTURES OF 


SO happily delivered, having given a very handsome account to 
the owners of the manner how I had saved the ship, they 
invited' me to meet them and some other merchants concerned, 
and all together made me a very handsome compliment upon 
the subject and a present of almost £200 sterling. 

Now I resolved to go to Lisbon, and see if I might obtain 
some information of the state of my plantation in the Brazils, 
and of what was become of my partner, who, I had reason to 
suppose, thought I was dead. With this view I took shipping 
for Lisbon, where I arrived in April following ; my man Friday 
accompanying me, and proving a most faithful servant upon all 
occasions. 

I found, by inquiry, my old friend, the captain of the ship 
who first took me up* at sea off the shore of Africa. He was 
now grown old, and had left the sea, having put his son into 
his ship, which was still in the Brazil trade. The old man 
did not know me ; but I soon brought myself to his remem- 
brance, and asked after my plantation and my partner. The 
old man told me he had not been in the Brazils for about nine 
years ; but that he could assure me, that when he came away 
my partner was living ; but several of the trustees I had joined 
with him were dead ; that, however, he believed I would have 
a very good account of the improvement of the plantation. 
But it had long been considered certain that I was wrecked 
and drowned, and if I was again to have my plantation I would 
have to prove my claim. This the old man said he would help 
me to do, and as there were ships in the river of Lisbon just 
ready to go away to Brazil, he made me enter my name in a 
public register, with his affidavit, affirming, upon oath, that I 
was alive, and that I was the same person who took up the 
land for the said plantation. This being regularly attested by 
a notary, and a procuration affixed, he directed me to send it, 
with a letter of his writing, and then proposed my staying with 
him till I received a reply. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


163 


Never was anything more honorable than the proceedings 
upon this procuration; for in less than seven months I re- 
ceived a large packet from the sumvors of my trustees, the 
merchants, for whose account I went to sea, in which it was 
shown there was my due the sum of five thousand two hundred 
and eighty-seven moidores.° 

There was also a letter of my partner’s, congratulating me 
very affectionately upon my being alive, giving me an account 
how the estate was improved, and what it produced a year ; 
the number of acres that it contained, how planted, and how 
many slaves there were upon it. He invited me very passion- 
ately to come over and take possession of my own ; and to give 
him orders to whom he should deliver my effects if I did not 
come myself. By the same fleet, my merchant-trustees shipped 
me one thousand two hundred chests of sugar, eight hundred 
rolls of tobacco, and the rest of the whole account in gold. 

It is impossible to express the flutterings of my heart when 
I looked over these letters, and especially when I found all my 
wealth about me ; for, as the Brazil ships come in fleets, the 
same ships which brought my letters brought my goods, and 
the effects were safe in the river before the letters came to my 
hand. I was now master, all on a sudden, of five thousand 
pounds sterling in money, and had an estate in the Brazils 
that gave me an income of more than a thousand pounds a 
year. 

I had now to consider which way to steer my course next, 
and what to do with the estate that Providence had thus put 
into my hands. Indeed, I had more cares now than I had in 
my silent state of life in the island, where I wanted nothing but 
what I had, and had nothing but what I wanted ; whereas I 
had now a great charge upon me, and my business was how to 
secure it. I had not a cave now to hide my money in, where it 
might lie without lock or key, till it grew mouldy and tarnished 
before anybody would meddle with it. I knew not where to 


164 


ADVENTURES OF 


put it, and on the whole it seemed best I should go back to 
England and take my effects with me. So I set out, going by 
way of Madrid and Paris, and then across from Calais to Dover, 
where I landed safe the 14th of January. 

When I came to London, my principal counsellor was my 
good ancient widow, who thought no pains too much, nor 
care too great, to employ for me ; and I trusted her so entirely 
with everything, that I was perfectly easy as to the security 
of my effects ; and, indeed, I was very happy from beginning 
to end in the unspotted integrity of this good gentlewoman. 

I now resolved to dispose of my plantation, and I wrote to 
my old friend at Lisbon, and he offered it to the survivors of 
my trustees, who lived in the Brazils. They accepted the 
off^er, and I received bills of exchange for thirty-two thousand 
eight hundred pieces of eight for the estate. 


CHAPTER XV 


I marry and stay in my native land for seven years — My wife dying, 
my wandering disposition again takes possession of me — My 
nephew, being commander of a ship about to make a voyage to the 
East Indies, proposes to take me with him — We seek out my island 
— Of the five mutineers left behind by the ship which carried me 
to England, and of the Spaniards who came to the island soon 
after I left. 

Though I had sold my estate in the Brazils, yet I had a 
strong inclination to see my island and to know if the poor 
Spaniards were in being there, and how the rogues I left had 
used them. 

My true friend, the widow, earnestly dissuaded me from 
going, and so far prevailed that for almost seven years she pre- 
vented my running abroad, during which time I took my two 
nephews into my care. The eldest, having something of his 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


165 


own, I bred up as a gentleman, and gave him some addition 
to his estate. The other I placed with the captain of a ship ; 
and, after five years, finding him a sensible, bold, enterprising 
young fellow, I put him into a good ship, and sent him to sea. 

In the meantime, I married, and that not either to my dis- 
advantage or dissatisfaction, and had three children, two sons 
and one daughter. 

But in the middle of all this felicity, one blow unhinged me ; 
and drove me into the wandering disposition which, being 
born in my very blood, soon recovered its hold. This blow was 
the loss of my wife. When she was gone, the world looked 
awkward. I was as much a stranger in it as I was in the 
Brazils, when I first went on shore there ; and as much alone, 
except for the assistance of servants, as I was in my island. 
I knew neither what to think nor what to do. I saw the 
world busy around me; one part laboring for bread, another 
part squandering in vile excesses or empty pleasures, equally 
miserable ; for the men of pleasure every day surfeited of their 
vice, and heaped up work for sorrow and repentance ; and the 
men of labor spent their strength in daily struggling for bread 
to maintain the vital strength they labored with ; living but 
to work, and working but to live, as if daily bread were the 
only end of wearisome life, and a wearisome life the only occa- 
sion of daily bread. 

It was now the beginning of the year 1693, when my nephew, 
whom I had brought up to the sea, and had made commander 
of a ship, was come home from a short voyage to Bilboa. He 
told me that some merchants of his acquaintance had been pro- 
posing to him to go a voyage for them to the East Indies, and 
to China. “ Uncle,” says he, “ if you will go to sea with me, I 
will engage to land you upon your old island habitation; for 
we are to touch at the Brazils.” 

I paused a while at his words, and looked steadily at him. 
“What devil,” said I, “sent you on this unlucky errand?” 


166 


ADVENTURES OF 


But the scheme hit so exactly with my temper that I told 
him I would go with him ; though I would not promise to go 
any farther than my own island. 

“ Sir,” says he, “ you don’t want to be left there, I hope ? ” 

“ Why,” said I, “ can you not take me up on your return ? ” 

He told me it would not be possible to do so ; that the mer- 
chants would never allow him to come that way with a laden 
ship of such value, it being a month’s sail out of his course. 
“Besides, sir, if I should miscarry,” said he, “and not return 
at all, then you would be reduced to the condition you were in 
before.” 

This was very rational ; but we found a remedy, which was 
to carry a framed sloop on board the ship, in pieces, that might 
be set up in the island, and finished fit to go to sea in a few 
days. 

My ancient good friend, the widow, earnestly struggled with 
me to consider my years, my easy circumstances, and the need- 
less hazards of a long voyage ; and, above all, my young chil- 
dren. But it was all to no purpose. I told her I thought 
there was something so uncommon in the impressions I had 
upon my mind, that it would be resisting Providence if I should 
stay at home ; after which she ceased her expostulations, and 
joined with me, not only in making provision for my voyage, 
but also in settling my family affairs for my absence, and pro- 
viding for the education of my children. 

My nephew was ready to sail about the beginning of Janu- 
ary, 1695 ; and I, with my man Friday, went on board, on the 
8th ; having, besides that sloop, which I mentioned, a very con- 
siderable cargo of all kinds of necessary things for my colony. 

Also, I carried with me some servants, whom I purposecl to 
place there as inhabitants ; particularly I carried two carpenters, 
a smith, a tailor, and a very handy, ingenious fellow, who was a 
cooper by trade, and was also a general mechanic ; and whom 
we called our Jack-of-all- trades. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


167 


My cargo, as nearly as I can recollect, consisted of a quantity 
of linen, and English thin stuffs for clothing, and every neces- 
sary thing I could think of. I carried also a hundred muskets 
and fusees ; some pistols, a considerable quantity of shot of all 
sizes, two brass cannon, powder, swords, cutlasses, and the iron 
part of some pikes and halberds ; and I made my nephew carry 
two small quarter-deck guns more than he wanted for his ship, 
to leave behind if there was occasion ; that we might build a 
fort, and man it against all sorts of enemies. 

I had not such bad luck on this voyage as I had been used 
to meet with ; and I came to my old habitation, the island, on 
the 10th of April, 1695. It was with no small difficulty that 
I found the place ; for, having no chart for the coast, we beat 
about a great while, but at last, sailing from one island to an- 
other, I came fair on the south side of my island. So I brought 
the ship safe to an anchor, broadside with the little creek where 
my old habitation was. 

As soon as I saw the place, I called for Friday, and asked 
him if he knew where he was. He looked about a little, and, 
clapping his hands, cried, “Oh, yes; oh, there — oh, yes; oh, 
there ! ” pointing, dancing, and capering like a mad fellow ; and 
I had much ado to keep him from jumping into the sea to swim 
ashore. 

“ Well, Friday,” says I, “ do you think we shall find anybody 
here, and shall we see your father ? ” 

When I named his father, the poor creature looked dejected, 
and the tears ran niown his face very plentifully. “What is 
the matter, Friday ? ” said I ; “are you troubled because you 
may see your father ? ” 

“No, no,” says he, shaking his head, “ no see him more ; no, 
never more see him again. He long ago die. He much old 
man.” 

“ Well, well,” says I, “ Friday, you don’t know.” 

The fellow had better eyes than I, and he points to the hill 


168 


ADVENTURES OF 


just above my old house ; and, though we lay half a league off, 
he cries out, “ Me see much man there ! ” 

As soon as Friday told me he saw people, I caused the Eng- 
lish flag to be unfurled, and fired three guns, to give them notice 
we were friends. Then I ordered a boat out, and went directly 
on shore, taking Friday with me and also sixteen men well 
armed, because we might find new guests there whom we did 
not know. 

As we went on shore upon tide of flood, near high water, we 
rowed directly into the creek ; and the first man I saw was 
the Spaniard whose life I had saved. I ordered nobody to go 
on shore at first except myself ; but there was no keeping Fri- 
day in the boat, for the affectionate creature had spied his father 
at a distance. He jumped out and flew away like an arrow 
from a bow. It would have made any man shed tears to have 
seen the first transports of his joy when he came to his father ; 
how he embraced him, kissed him, stroked his face, took him in 
his arms, and looked at him, for a quarter of an hour together. 

One would have thought the fellow bewitched. But it would 
have made a dog laugh the next morning to see how he walked 
along the shore, back and forth with his father, several hours, 
always leading him by the hand, as if he had been a lady ; and 
every now and then he would go to the boat to fetch his father 
a lump of sugar, a biscuit cake, or something or other that was 
good. In the afternoon his frolics ran another way ; for then 
he set the old man down on the ground, and danced about him, 
and made a thousand antic gestures ; and all the while he did 
this he would be talking to him, and telling him of what had 
happened to him abroad. In short, if the same filial affection 
was to be found in Christians to their parents, in our part of 
the world, there would hardly be any need of the fifth com- 
mandment. 

But to return to my landing. It would be endless to take 
notice of all the ceremonies and civilities that the Spaniards 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


169 


received me with. The Spaniard, whose life I had saved, came 
toward the boat, attended by one more, and he had no notion 
of its being me that was come. “ Seignior,” said I, in Portu- 
guese, “ do you not know me ? ” At which he spoke not a word, 
but, giving his musket to the man that was with him, came for- 
ward and embraced me, telling me he was inexcusable not to 
know that face again which he had once seen as if I had been an 
angel from Heaven, sent to save his life. He said abundance 
of very handsome things, and then asked me if I would go to 
my old habitation. So I walked along with him ; but I could 
no more find the spot than if I had never been there ; for they 
had planted so many trees, and arranged them in such a manner, 
so thick and close to one another, and in ten years’ time they 
were grown so big, that the place was inaccessible, except by 
such windings and blind ways as they only, who made them, 
could find. 

I asked the reason for all these fortifications. He told me 
I would say there was need enough, when they had given me 
an account how they had passed their time since their arriving 
in the island. Nothing that ever befell him in his life, he said, 
was so surprising and afflicting to him as the disappointment 
he was under when he came back to the island and found I was 
not there. 

As to the three barbarians (so he called them) that were 
left behind, the Spaniards all thought themselves much better 
among the savages, “and,” says he, “had they been strong 
enough, we had been all long ago in purgatory,” and with that 
he crossed himself on the breast. 

The history of the Spaniards coming to, and conduct in, the 
island, after my going away, I shall try to relate, as nearly as I 
can gather the facts out of my memory, from what was related 
to me. When the Spaniard, with Friday’s father, reached the 
mainland, whither he went to fetch over the other Spaniards, 
his countrymen, they were overjoyed to see him (it seems he 


170 


ADVENTURES OF 


was the principal man among them), and when he told them 
the story of his deliverance, and in what manner he was fur- 
nished for carrying them away, it was like a dream to them, but 
he showed them the arms and provisions that he brought for 
their voyage, and they prepared to come with him. 

Their first business was to get canoes ; and they were obliged 
to trespass upon the friendly savages, and to borrow two large 
canoes, on pretence of going out fishing. 

In these they came away. They had no baggage, neither 
clothes, nor provisions, nor anything in the world but what they 
had on them, and a few roots to eat. 

In the three weeks that passed before the expedition returned, 
unluckily for them I had the occasion offered to get off from the 
island, leaving three of the most impudent, hardened, ungovern- 
able, disagreeable villains behind me that any man could meet 
with. 

The only just thing the rogues did was that when the Span- 
iards came ashore they gave my letter to them, and provisions, 
and other relief, as I had ordered ; also the long paper of 
directions which I left, containing the particular methods in 
which I baked my bread, reared my tame goats, and planted 
my corn ; how I cured my grapes, made my pots, and everything 
I did. This they gave to the Spaniards, two of whom under- 
stood English. They agreed very well for some time and began 
to live sociably; and the head Spaniard and Friday’s father 
together managed all their affairs. As for the Englishmen, 
they did nothing but ramble about the island, shoot parrots, and 
catch tortoises ; and when they came home at night, the Span- 
iards provided their suppers for them. 

The Spaniards would have been satisfied with this, had the 
others left them alone, which, however, they could not find in 
their hearts to do long ; but, like the dog in the manger, they 
themselves would not eat, neither would they let the others eat. 
The differences were at first trivial, but at last the rogues broke 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


171 


out into open war with all the rudeness and insolence that can 
be imagined. 

But before I come to the particulars of this part, I must 
supply a defect in my former relation ; and this was that, just 
as we were weighing the anchor to set sail, there happened a 
little quarrel on board of our ship, nor was it appeased till the 
captain, rousing up his courage, made two of the most refractory 
fellows prisoners ; and as they had been active in the former 
disorders, he threatened to carry them in irons to England, and 
have them hanged there. 

This mutiny had brought us to an anchor for that night ; and 
next morning we found that our two men had stolen each of 
them 9i, musket, and had taken the ship’s pinnace, which was 
not yet hauled up, and run away with her to their companions 
in roguery on the island. 

I ordered the long-boat on shore with twelve men and the 
mate, and away they went to seek the rogues ; but they could 
neither find them nor any of the rest, for they all fied into the 
woods when they saw the boat coming. The mate at length 
brought the pinnace away, and came on board without them. 

These two men made the number on the island five ; but 
the other three villains were so much more wicked than the 
later arrivals, that after they had all been a few days together 
the three turned the newcomers out of doors to shift for them- 
selves, and would have nothing to do with them ; nor could the 
three men, for a good while, be persuaded to give the other two 
any food. 

When the Spaniards came, they ’vyould have had the three 
English brutes take in their countrymen again, but they would 
not hear of it. So the two poor fellows lived by themselves ; 
and finding nothing but industry and application would make 
them live comfortably, they settled on the north shore of the 
island, and built them two huts, one to lodge in, and the other 
to lay up their stores in ; and the Spaniards, having given them 


172 


ADVENTURES OF 


some corn for seed, and some of the peas which I had left, they 
dug, planted, and enclosed, and began to live pretty well ; and 
one of the fellows, being the cook’s mate of the ship, was very 
ready at making soup, puddings, and other preparations. 

They were going on in this manner, when the three unnatural 
rogues, their own countrymen, in mere humor, and to insult them, 
came and bullied them, and told them the island was theirs ; 
that the governor had given them the possession of it ; and no- 
body else had any right to it ; and that they should build no 
houses upon the ground unless they would pay rent. 

The two men, thinking they were jesting, asked them to 
come in and sit down, and see what a fine house they had built, 
and tell them what rent they demanded. One of the three, 
cursing and raging, told them they should see they were not in 
jest ; and going a little distance, to where the honest men had 
made a fire, he took a firebrand, and clapped it to the outside 
of the hut, which would have been all burned down in a few 
minutes, if one of the two had not run to the fellow, thrust him 
away, and trod the fire out with his feet. 

The fellow was in such a rage at the honest man’s thrusting 
him away, that he returned upon him with a pole he had in 
his hand, and had not the man avoided the blow very nimbly, 
and run into the hut, he had ended his days at once. His com- 
rade, seeing the danger they were both in, ran in after him, 
and immediately they came out with their muskets, and the 
man that was first struck at with the pole knocked down the 
fellow that began the quarrel, with the stock of his musket, and 
then, seeing the rest come at them they stood together, and 
presenting the other ends of their guns bade them stand oft*. 

The assailants had firearms with them also ; but one of the 
two honest men boldly commanded them to lay down their arms. 
They did not, indeed, lay down their arms, but seeing him so 
resolute it brought them to a parley, and they consented to take 
their wounded man and be gone. The three villains now studied 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


173 


nothing but revenge, and committed such rogueries on the two 
honest men as treading down their corn ; shooting three young 
kids and a she-goat, which the poor men had got to breed up 
tame for their food supply, and, in a word, plaguing them night 
and day. This forced the two men to such a desperation, that 
they resolved to fight all three, the first time they had a fair 
opportunity. 

It happened one day that two of the Spaniards, being in the 
woods, saw one of the two Englishmen, whom I call the honest 
men, and he had made a sad complaint to the Spaniards of the 
barbarous usage they had met with from their three country- 
men, and how they had ruined their plantation, and destroyed 
their corn, and killed the milch-goat and their three kids ; and 
that if the Spaniards did not assist them again, they should be 
starved. When the Spaniards came home at night, and they 
were all at supper, one of them took the freedom to reprove the 
three Englishmen, though in very gentle and mannerly terms, 
and asked them how they could be so cruel. 

One of the Englishmen replied very briskly that the two 
fellows came on shore without leave ; and that they should not 
plant or build upon the island. It was none of their ground. 

“ Why,” says the Spaniard, very calmly, “ Seignior Inglese, 
what must they do then ? ” 

Another of the brutes responded, “ Do ? they should be ser- 
vants, and work for us.” 

“ But how can you expect that of them ? ” says the Spaniard ; 
“ they are not bought with your money ; you have no right to 
make them servants.” 

The Englishman answered, “ The island is ours ; the gov- 
ernor gave it to us, and no man has anything to do here but 
ourselves ” ; and with that, swore that they would go and burn 
the honest men’s huts. They should build none upon their land. 

“Why, seignior,” says the Spaniard, “by the same rule, we 
must be servants too.” 


174 


ADVENTURES OF 


“ Ay,” says the hold dog, “and so you shall, before we have 
done with you.” 

The Spaniard only smiled at that, and made no answer. 
However, this little discourse had heated the Englishmen ; and 
starting up, one says to the other, “ Come, let’s go and have 
t’other brush with those two fellows. We’ll demolish their 
castle. I’ll warrant you.” 

Upon this, they went all trooping away, with every man a 
gun, a pistol, and a sword, and muttered some insolent things 
among themselves of what they would do to the Spaniards too. 
Whither they went, or how they bestowed their time that 
evening, the Spaniards did not know ; but it seems they wan- 
dered about the country part of the night, and then, lying 
down in the place which I used to call my bower, they over- 
slept themselves ; for they had resolved to go on at midnight, 
and so surprise the two poor men when they were asleep, and 
set fire to their huts while they were in them, and either burn 
them there, or murder them as they came out. 

However, the two men were up and gone abroad before the 
bloody-minded rogues came to their huts. When they found 
the men gone, Atkins, who was the forwardest man, called out 
to his nearest comrade, “ Ha, Jack, here’s the nest, but the 
birds are flown.” 

They mused a while to think what should be the occasion of 
the two men being gone out so soon, and suggested presently 
that the Spaniards had given them notice ; and with that they 
shook hands, and swore to one another that they would be re- 
venged on the Spaniards. Then they fell to work with the 
poor men’s habitation ; pulled down both the houses, and left 
not the least stick standing, or scarce any sign on the ground 
where they stood. They tore all their household stuff in pieces, 
and threw everything about in such a manner, that the poor men 
afterwards found some of their things a mile from their habitation. 
Also they pulled up the young trees which the poor men had 


ROBINSOW CRUSOE 


175 


planted ; destroyed the fences that secured their cattle and their 
corn j and sacked and plundered everything as completely as a 
horde of Tartars would have done. 

When the three came back to the old habitation again, 
flushed with the rage which the work they had been about had 
put them into, they told what they had done, and one of them, 
stepping up to one of the Spaniards, takes the Spaniard’s 
hat off his head, and giving it a twirl, sneering in his face, 
says to him, “And you. Seignior Jack Spaniard, shall have the 
same sauce if you do not mend your manners.” 

The Spaniard, who, though quiet and civil, was as brave a 
man as could be, and, withal, a strong, well-made man, looked 
at him for a good while, and then, having no weapon in his 
hand, stepped gravely up to him, and, with one blow of his fist, 
knocked him down, at which another of the rogues fired his 
pistol at the Spaniard. The bullet touched the tip of the 
Spaniard’s ear, and he bled pretty much. The blood made the 
Spaniard believe he was more hurt than he really was, and 
he stooped, and took the musket of the fellow he had knocked 
down, and was just going to shoot the man who had fired at 
him, when the rest of the Spaniards, calling to him not to shoot, 
secured the other two, and took their arms from them. 

When they were thus disarmed, and found they had made all 
the Spaniards their enemies, they began to cool, and, giving the 
Spaniards better words, would have had their arms again ; but 
the Spaniards, considering the feud that was between them 
and the other two Englishmen, told them they would do them 
no harm ; but that they could not think of giving them their 
arms while they appeared so resolved to do mischief to their own 
countrymen, and had even threatened them all. 

The rogues were now no more capable to hear reason than to act 
with reason ; but being refused their arms, they went raving away 
like madmen, threatening what they would do, though they had 
no firearms. But the Spaniards, despising their threatening, 


176 


ADVENTURES OF 


told them they must take care how they offered any injury to 
the plantation or goats ; for if they did, they would shoot them 
as they would ravenous beasts, wherever they found them. 
However, this was far from calming them, and away they went, 
raging and swearing like furies. As soon as they were gone, 
the two honest men came, in passion and rage enough also, 
though of another kind ; for having been at their plantation, 
and finding it all demolished, they had provocation enough. 

The Spaniards told them that they had disarmed the three 
rogues, and the Spaniard, who was the governor, said, “We will 
endeavor to make them do you justice, for there is no doubt 
but they will come to us again, being not able to subsist with- 
out our assistance. We promise you to make no more peace 
with them without having a full satisfaction for you. Upon 
this condition, we hope you will agree to use no violence with 
them, other than in your own defence.” 

The two Englishmen yielded to this very awkwardly, and 
with great reluctance ; and waited for the issue of the thing, 
living for some days with the Spaniards ; for their own habita- 
tion was destroyed. 

In about five days’ time the three vagrants, tired with 
wandering, and almost starved, having chiefly lived on turtles’ 
eggs all that while, came back to the grove ; and finding the 
governor, and two more with him, walking by the side of the 
creek, they, in a very submissive, humble manner, begged to be 
received again into the family. The Spaniards used them 
civilly, but told them they had acted so unnaturally to their 
countrymen, and so very grossly to the Spaniards, that they coidd 
not come to any conclusion without consulting the two English- 
men and the rest ; but they would go to them and discourse 
about it. 

After half an hour’s consultation the three Englishmen were 
called in, and their two countrymen charged them with the 
ruin of all their labor and a design to murder them ; all which 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


177 


they could not deny. The Spaniard governor acted the mod- 
erator between them, and as he had obliged the two English- 
men not to hurt the three while they were unarmed, so he now 
obliged the three to go and rebuild their fellows’ two huts, one 
to be of the same and the other of larger dimensions than they 
were before ; to fence the ground again where they had de- 
stroyed the fences, plant trees in the place of those pulled up, 
dig over the land again for planting corn where they had spoiled 
it, and, in a word, to restore everything to the same stat§ as 
they found it, as nearly as they could. 

They submitted to this; and, as they had plenty of pro- 
visions given them all the while, they grew very orderly, and 
the w^hole society began to live pleasantly and agreeably 
together, only, that these three fellows could never be persuaded 
to work for themselves except now and then a little, just as 
they pleased. However, the Spaniards told them that if they 
would live sociably and friendly, they would be content to work 
for them, and let them walk about and be as idle as they 
pleased; and thus, having lived pretty well together for a 
month or two, the Spaniards gave them arms again. 

It was not more than a week after they had these arms, 
before the ungrateful creatures began to be as insolent and 
troublesome as ever ; but an accident happened presently 
which endangered the safety of the entire colony, and they 
were obliged to lay by all private resentments, and look to the 
preservation of their lives. 


K 


178 


ADVENTURES OF 


CHAPTER XVI 

Numerous savages visit the island and two hostile nations engage 
there in battle — The three worst Englishmen and the Spaniards 
come to blows and the Englishmen are turned out of the planta- 
tion — They establish homes on the other side of the island — 
They presently take one of the boats and go away, but return after 
two and twenty days — With them they bring eight savages, 
five of whom are women — The women become the wives of the 
five Englishmen, 

It happened one night that the Spanish governor found his 
thoughts tumultuous and could not get any sleep. He lay a 
great while, but, growing more and more uneasy, he resolved to 
rise. 

When he was up he went out to the grove, where he was 
surprised with seeing a light as of fire, a very little way off, 
and hearing the voices of men — not of one or two, but of a 
great number. 

He was soon assured that the voices were those of savages, 
and there was evidently a much larger party than usually re- 
sorted to the island. The governor ran back immediately and 
raised his fellows, giving them an account of the imminent 
danger they were all in, and they took the alarm ; but it was 
impossible to persuade them to stay close within where they 
were. They must all run out to see how things stood. 

While it was dark they were well enough, and they had 
opportunity for some hours to view the savages by the light of 
three fires they had made at a distance from one another. 
What they were doing the Spaniards knew not, and what to 
do themselves they knew not. For the enemy were too many ; 
and were divided into several parties. 

The Spaniards, as they found that the fellows ran straggling 
all over the shore, made no doubt but, first or last, some of 
them would see the token of inhabitants ; and they were in 
great perplexity for fear their flock of goats should be destroyed. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


179 


So the first thing they resolved upon was to dispatch three 
men before it was light, to drive all the goats away to the great 
valley where the cave was, and, if need were, to drive them 
into the cave itself. 

Could they see the savages all together in one body, and at 
a distance from their canoes, they resolved to attack them ; 
but some of them were two miles from the others. After hav- 
ing mused a great while on the course they should take, they 
sent out the old savage, Friday’s father, while it was still dark, 
as a spy, to learn, if possible, something concerning the intrud- 
ers — what they came for, and what they intended to do. The 
old man dressed himself like the savages, and away he went. 
After he had been gone an hour or two, he brought word that he 
had been among them undiscovered ; that he found they were 
two parties, and of two nations, which had war with one 
another, and had fought a great battle in their own country ; 
and that both sides, having several prisoners taken in the 
fight, were, by mere chance, landed on the same island, for 
devouring their prisoners and making merry ; but their com- 
ing so by chance to the same place had spoiled all their 
mirth — that they were in a great rage at one another, and 
were so near he believed they would fight again as soon as day- 
light began to appear. He had hardly made an end of telling 
his story, when the Spaniards could perceive, by the unusual 
noise, that the two little armies were engaged in a bloody fight. 

Friday’s father used all the arguments he could to persuade 
our people to stay close and not be seen. He told them that 
they had nothing to do but lie still, and the savages would 
finish fighting, and then those who were not killed would go 
away. But it was impossible to prevail upon the Englishmen. 
Their curiosity was so importunate that they must run out and 
see the battle. However, they did not go openly, but went 
into the woods, and placed themselves to advantage, where they 
might securely watch the fight and not be seen. 


180 


ADVENTURES OF 


The battle was very fierce, and continued two hours before 
they could guess which party would be beaten ; but then that 
party which was nearest our people’s habitation began to 
appear weakest, and, after some time more, began to fly. 
This put our men again into a great consternation, lest any of 
those that fled should run into the grove before their dwelling 
for shelter, and thereby discover the place. Upon this, they 
resolved that they would stand armed within the wall, and wlio- 
ever came into the grove, they would sally out over the wall, 
and kill them, so that, if possible, not one should return to give 
an account. They ordered also that it should be done with 
their swords, or by knocking them down with the stocks of 
their muskets, but not by shooting, for fear of raising an alarm 
by the noise. 

As they expected, it fell out. Three of the routed army fled 
for life, and, crossing the creek, ran directly into the thick wood 
for shelter. The scout our men kept to look abroad gave notice 
of this, and said the conquerors had not pursued the three 
savages, or seen which way they were gone. Upon this, the 
Spaniard governor would not suffer them to kill the fugitives, 
but sending three men, ordered them to go round, come in be- 
hind them, and surprise and take them prisoners ; which was 
done. The residue of the conquered people fled to their canoes, 
and got off to sea. The victors retired and made no pursuit, 
but, drawing together in a body, gave two great screaming 
shouts by way of triumph — and so the fight ended ; and the 
same day, about three o’clock in the afternoon, they also 
marched to their canoes. Thus the Spaniards had the island 
again free to themselves, their fright was over, and they saw no 
more savages for several years. 

After the combatants were all gone, the Spaniards came out 
of their den, and, viewing the field of battle, they found about 
two-and-thirty men dead on the spot. Some were killed with 
arrows, but most of them were killed with great wooden swords. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


181 


sixteen or seventeen of which they found on the field of battle. 
They saw not one man that was not stone dead ; for either the 
savages stay by a wounded enemy till they have killed him, or 
they carry all the wounded men away with them. 

This deliverance tamed our Englishmen ; the sight had filled 
them with horror, and it appeared terrible to the last degree, 
especially upon supposing that some time or other they should 
fall into the hands of those creatures, who would not only kill 
them as enemies, but kill them for food, as we kill our cattle. 
For a great while after they were tractable, and went about the 
common business of the whole society. 

Our people had taken three prisoners, and these three they 
made servants, and taught to work for them. It was now 
agreed to remove part of the goats to the valley where my 
cave was, and plant part of the corn there; and so if the 
savages ever came up into the island and one part was de- ' 
stroyed, the other might be saved. 

To protect their habitation they planted trees, or rather thrust 
in stakes, to fill up the rest of that whole space of ground from 
the trees I had set quite down to the side of the creek. These 
stakes being of a wood very forward to grow, in three or four 
years there was no piercing with the eye any considerable way 
into the plantation. They did the same by all the ground to 
the right hand and to the left, and round even to the side of 
the hill, leaving no way, not so much as for themselves to come 
out, except by the ladder placed up to the side of the hill, and 
then lifted up, and placed again from the first stage up to the 
top; and when the ladder was taken down, nothing but what 
had wings or witchcraft to assist it could come at them. 

They lived two years after this in perfect retirement, and 
had no more visits from the savages. But now they had an- 
other broil with the three Englishmen ; one of whom, a most 
turbulent fellow, being in a rage at one of the three slaves, 
because the fellow had not done something right which he bid 


182 


ADVENTURES OF 


him do, drew a hatchet out of a belt, in which he wore it by his 
side, and fell upon the poor savage to kill him. One of the 
Spaniards, seeing him give the savage a barbarous cut with the 
hatchet, ran to him, and entreated him not to murder the poor 
man. The fellow, being enraged the more at this, struck at the 
Spaniard with his hatchet, which the Spaniard, perceiving, 
avoided the blow, and with a shovel he had in his hand 
(for they were all working in the field about their corn land) 
knocked the brute down. Another of the Englishmen, run- 
ning at the same time to help his comrade, knocked the Span- 
iard down ; and then two Spaniards more came to help their 
man, and the third Englishman fell in upon them. They had 
none of them any firearms or other weapons but hatchets and 
tools, except this third Englishman. He had one of my rusty 
cutlasses, with which he made at the two last Spaniards, and 
wounded them both. This fray set the whole family in an 
uproar, and, more Spaniards coming, they took the three Eng- 
lishmen prisoners. The next question w^as, what should be 
done with them ? They had been so often mutinous, and were 
so desperate they cared not what hurt they did to any man, so 
that it was not safe to live with them. 

The two honest Englishmen, and the Spaniard who saved the 
poor savage, were of the opinion that they should hang one of 
the three, for an example to the rest, and that it should be he 
that had twice attempted to commit murder with his hatchet. 
Indeed, there was some reason to believe that he had done it, 
for the poor savage was in such a miserable condition with the 
wound he had received, that it was thought he could not live. 
But after a long debate, it was agreed that they should be dis- 
armed, and not permitted to have either gun, powder, shot, 
sword, or any weapon; and should be turned out of the 
society, and left to live where they would, and how they could, 
by themselves ; that they should be forbidden to come within 
a certain distance of the place where the rest dwelt ; and if they 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


183 


offered to spoil, burn, kill, or destroy any of the corn, plantings, 
buildings, fences, or cattle belonging to the society, they should 
die without mercy. 

The governor considered a little ; and said : “ It will be long 
ere they can raise corn and cattle of their own, and they must 
not starve. We must therefore allow them provisions.” 

So he caused to be added that they should have corn given 
them' to last eight months, and for seed to sow, by which time 
they might be supposed to raise some of their own^; that they 
sliould have six milch-goats, four he-goats, and six kids given 
them, and that they should have tools for their work in the 
fields, but they should have none of these tools or provisions 
unless they would swear solemnly that they would not hurt 
or injure any of the Spaniards or their fellow-Englishmen. 

Thus they were turned out to shift for themselves. They 
went away sullen and refractory, to go and choose a place where 
they would settle ; and some provisions were given them, but no 
weapons. 

About four or five days after, they came for some victuals, 
and gave the governor an account where they had pitched their 
tents, and marked out a plantation. It was a very convenient 
place on the remotest part of the island, northeast near where 
I landed when I returned from being driven out to sea, in my 
attempt to sail round the island. Here they built themselves 
two huts, near the foot of a hill, having some trees growing 
already on three sides of them, so that by planting others the 
hut would be very easily covered from the sight. They desired 
some dried goatskins for beds, which were given them ; and 
upon pledging their words that they would not disturb the rest, 
or injure any of their plantations, the Spaniards gave them hatch- 
ets, and what other tools they could spare ; some peas, barley, 
and rice, for sowing, and anything they wanted, except arms 
and ammunition. 

They lived in this separate condition about six months, and 


184 


ADVENTUBES OF 


had got in their first harvest ; but when the rainy season came on, 
for want of a cave in the earth, they could not keep their grain 
dry, and it was in great danger of spoiling. This humbled them 
much. So they came and begged the Spaniards to help them, 
which they very readily did ; and in four days worked a great 
hole in the side of the hill, big enough to secure their corn and 
other things from the rain ; but it was a poor place, at best, 
compared to mine, and especially as mine was then, for the 
Spaniards had greatly enlarged it, and made several new 
apartments in it. 

About three-quarters of a year after this separation, a new 
frolic took these rogues, and they came to the Spaniards one 
morning, and desired to speak with them. The Spaniards very 
readily heard what they had to say, which was this ; That they 
were tired of living in the manner they did, and that they were 
not handy enough to make the necessaries they wanted, and 
found they should be starved ; but if the Spaniards would give 
them leave to take one of the canoes which they came in, and 
arms and ammunition, they would go over to the mainland and 
seek their fortunes, and so deliver the rest from the trouble of 
supplying them with any more provisions. 

The Spaniards were glad enough to get rid of them, but very 
honestly represented to them the certain destruction they were 
running into ; told them they would be starved or murdered, 
and bade them consider. 

The men replied, audaciously, they should be starved if they 
stayed, for they could not work, and would not work, and insisted 
importunately upon their demand, declaring they would go, 
whether the Spaniards gave them any arms or not. 

The Spaniards told them, with great kindness, that if they 
were resolved to go, they would let them have two muskets, a 
pistol, and a cutlass, and each man a hatchet, which they 
thought was sufficient for them. The offer was accepted ; and 
the Spaniards baked bread enough to serve them a month, and 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


185 


gave them as much goats’ flesh as they could eat while it Avas 
sweet, and a great basket of dried grapes, a pot of fresh water, 
and a young kid alive. Then the three men boldly set out in 
the canoe for a voyage over the sea, where it was at least forty 
miles broad. 

The boat was a large one, and would have carried fifteen or 
twenty men, and therefore was rather too big for them to man- 
age ; but as they had a fair breeze, and the flood-tide with them, 
they did well enough. They had made a mast of a long pole, 
and a sail of four large goat-skins dried, which they had sewed 
or laced together ; and away they went. 

The Spaniards often said to one another, after this, how 
quietly and comfortably they lived, now these three turbulent 
fellows were gone. As for their coming again, that was the 
remotest thing from their thoughts that could be imagined ; 
when, behold, after two-and-twenty days’ absence, one of the 
two honest Englishmen who remained behind, being abroad at 
his planting work, sees three strange men coming toward him 
at a distance, with guns upon their shoulders. 

Away runs the Englishman, frighted and amazed, to the gov- 
ernor Spaniard, and tells him they were all undone, for there 
were strangers upon the island, but could not tell who they were. 

While they were debating, the three Englishmen came, and, 
standing without the wood, hallooed to them. They presently 
knew their voices, but what could be the matter, and what 
made them come back again ? 

It was not long before the men were brought in, and they 
gave a full account of their voyage. They reached the land in 
tAVO days, or something less ; but finding the people alarmed 
at their coming, and prepared with bows and arrows to fight 
them, they durst not go on shore, but sailed on to the north- 
ward six or seven hour's, till they came to a great opening by 
which they perceived that the land was an island. Upon 
entering that opening of the sea, they saw another island, on 


186 


ADVENTURES OF 


the right hand, north, and several more west ; and being re- 
solved to land somewhere, they put over to one of the islands 
which lay west, and went boldly on shore. The people were 
very courteous and friendly, and gave them roots and dried 
fish ; and the women, as well as the men, were very forward to 
supply them with anything they could get for them to eat. 

They continued there four days, and inquired, as well as 
they could by signs, what nations were this way, and that 
way, and were told of several fierce and terrible people. With 
some of these they had fought a battle about two moons ago, 
and their king had two hundred prisoners, which he had taken 
and was feeding to make them fat for a feast. The English- 
men seemed mighty desirous of seeing those prisoners ; but the 
savages, mistaking them, thought they were desirous to have 
some to carry away for their own eating. So they beckoned, 
pointing to the setting of the sun, and then to the rising; 
which was to signify that the next morning at sun-rising they 
would bring some for them ; and, accordingly, the next morn- 
ing they brought five women and eleven men, and gave them 
to the Englishmen, to carry with them on their voyage. 

As brutish and barbarous as these fellows were at home, 
their stomachs turned at this sight, and they did not know 
what to do. To refuse the prisoners would have been the 
highest affront to the savage gentry; and what to do with 
them they knew not. However, after some debate they re- 
solved to accept of them ; and, in return, they gave the sav- 
ages one of their hatchets, an old key, a knife, and six or seven 
bullets. Though the savages did not understand the use of 
the bullets, they seemed particularly pleased with them ; and 
now, having accepted these gifts, they tied the poor prisoners’ 
hands behind them, and dragged them into the boat for our 
men. 

The Englishmen were obliged to come away as soon as they 
had the captives, or else they that gave this noble present 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


187 


would certainly have expected our men to kill two or three the 
next morning, and invite the donors to dinner. 

Having taken their leave, with all the respect and thanks 
that could well pass between people, where, on either side, they 
understood not one word that was said, they put off with their 
boat, and came back toward the first island; where, when 
they arrived, they set eight of the men prisoners at liberty. 

In their voyage they endeavored to have some communica- 
tion with their prisoners ; but it was impossible to make them 
understand anything. Nothing they could say to them, or 
give them, or do for them, but was looked upon as prepara- 
tions to murder them. They first of all unbound them ; but 
the poor creatures screamed at that, especially the women, as 
if they had just felt the knife at their throats ; for they im- 
mediately concluded they were unbound on purpose to be killed. 
If our men gave them anything to eat, it was the same thing ; 
for then the captives concluded it was for fear they should sink 
in flesh, and so not be fat enough to kill. If the Englishmen 
looked at one of them more particularly, the party presently 
concluded it was to see whether he or she was fattest and 
fittest to kill first ; nay, after our men had brought them quite 
over, still they expected every day to make a dinner or supper 
for their new masters. 

When the three wanderers had given this histoiy of their 
voyage, the Spaniards asked them where their new family was ; 
and being told that they had brought them on shore, and put 
them into one of their huts, and were come up to beg some 
victuals for them, the whole colony resolved to go to see them ; 
and did so, and Friday’s father with them. 

They presently came into the hut and there the savages sat, 
all bound; for when the Englishmen had brought them on 
shore, they tied their hands that they might not take the 
boat and make their escape. Three were men, about thirty 
to thirty-five years of age ; and five were women, whereof two 


188 


ADVENTURES OF 


might be from thirty to forty ; two more not five and twenty ; 
and the fifth, a tall, comely maiden, about sixteen or seventeen. 
The women were well-favored, agreeable persons, and two of 
them, had they been perfectly white, would have passed for 
very handsome women even in London. 

The first thing the Spaniards did was to cause the old 
Indian, Friday’s father, to see if he knew any of them, and 
then if he understood their speech. The old man looked 
seriously at them, but knew none of them ; neither could any 
of them understand a word he said, or a sign he could make, 
except one of the women. However, this was enough to an- 
swer the end, which was to satisfy them that the men into 
whose hands they were fallen were Christians ; that they 
abhorred eating men or women ; and that they might be cer- 
tain they would not be killed. As soon as they were assured 
of this they showed such a joy, and by such aw Ward gestures, 
as is hard to describe. 

The woman who was their interpreter was bid, in the next 
place, to ask them if they were willing to be servants, and to 
work for the men who had brought them away to save their 
lives ; at which they all fell a-dancing ; and presently one took 
up this, and another that, to carry on their shoulders, to inti- 
mate they were willing to work. 

The governor asked the three men what they intended to do 
with these women, whether they would be servants or wives to 
them. One of the Englishmen answered very boldly and 
readily, that they would be both ; to which the governor said, 
“You are your own masters as to that ; but I desire you will all 
engage, if any of you take any of these women, that he shall 
take but one ; and she shall be maintained by the man that 
takes her, and be his wife.” 

This appeared so just that every one agreed to it without any 
difficulty. 

Then the Englishmen asked the Spaniards if they designed 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


189 


to take any of them. But every one of them answered, “ No.” 
Some of them said they had wives in Spain, and the others 
did not like women that were not Christians. On the other 
hand, the five Englishmen took them every one a wife. But 
the wonder was, how five such refractory fellows should agree 
about these women, especially seeing two or three of the women 
were, without comparison, more agreeable than the others ; 
but they took a good way to prevent quarrelling, for they set 
the five women by themselves, in one of their huts, and they 
went all into another hut, and drew lots who should choose 
first. 

He that drew to choose first went away by himself to the 
hut where the poor creatures were, and fetched out her he 
chose ; and it was worth observing, that he took her that was 
reckoned the homeliest and oldest of the five, which made mirth 
enough among the rest of the Englishmen, and even the 
Spaniards laughed ; but the fellow considered better than any 
of them that it was application and business they were to 
expect assistance in, and she proved the best wife of all the 
parcel. 

When the poor women saw themselves set in a row and the 
choosing began, the terrors of their condition returned upon 
them, and they firmly believed they were now going to 
be devoured. Accordingly, when the English sailor came in 
and started to lead away one of them, the rest set up a most 
lamentable cry, and hung about her, and took their leave of 
her with such agonies, the Englishman fetched Friday’s father, 
who let them know that the five men had chosen them for their 
wives. 

When the last woman had been taken, and the fright they 
were in was a little over, the men went to work, and the Spaniards 
helped them, and in a few hours they had built each of the 
Englishmen a new hut j for those they had already were crowded 
with their tools, household stuff, and provisions. The three 


190 


ADVENTURES OF 


wicked ones had settled farthest off from my old habitation 
where the Spaniards and Friday’s father continued to dwell, and 
the two honest ones established themselves nearer, but both 
were on the north shore of the island, though separated as 
before. 

When I came to the place, and viewed the improvements 
and management of the several little colonies, the two men had 
so far outgone the three that there was no comparison. They 
had innumerable young trees planted about their huts, so that 
when you came to the place, nothing was to be seen but a 
wood ; and everything was thriving and flourishing about 
them. They had grapes planted in order, and managed like a 
vineyard. They had also found themselves a retreat in the 
thickest part of the woods, where though there was not a 
natural cave yet they made one, with incessant labor of their 
hands, for a refuge if any mischief happened ; and around the 
cave they set a vast number of stakes and poles of the wood 
which grew so readily, and they made the approach impassable, 
except in some secret places of their own leaving. 

As to the three reprobates, though they were much civilized 
by their settlement, yet one of the certain companions of a 
profligate mind never left them, and that was their idleness. 
They did little but loiter about, find turtles’ eggs, and catch 
fish and birds ; in a word, anything but labor ; and they fared 
accordingly. The diligent lived well and comfortably, and the 
slothful hard and beggarly ; and so, I believe, generally speak- 
ing, it is all over the world. 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


191 


CHAPTER XVII 

Of more visits to the island by the savages, who burn the habita- 
tions of two of the Englishmen — The savages are repulsed, hut 
return in a great army — A battle is fought and a large part of the 
savages are killed and the rest are made prisoners — They are 
given a portion of the island and taught to provide food for 
themselves. 

I NOW come to a scene different from all that had happened 
before. Early one morning, there came on shore five or six 
canoes of savages on the old errand of feeding upon their prisoners; 
but our men knew that if they were not seen, the savages would go 
off quietly, as soon as their business was done, having, as yet, 
not the least notion of there being any inhabitants in the 
island. When the savages were discovered, warning was sent 
to all the three plantations for every one to keep within doors, 
and a scout w'as posted in a proper place to give notice when 
the boats went to sea again. 

This was, without doubt, very right ; but after the canoes with 
the savages were gone off, the Spaniards peeped abroad ; and 
some of them had the curiosity to go to the place where the 
savages had been. Here, to their great surprise, they found three 
left behind, lying fast asleep on the ground. It was supposed 
they had either been so gorged with their inhuman feast that 
they would not stir when the others went, or they had wandered 
into the woods and did not come back in time to be taken. 

The Spaniards were greatly surprised at this sight and per- 
fectly at a loss what to do. They had slaves enough already ; 
and as to killing them, there were none of our men inclined to 
do that. But the three savages had no boat ; and if they 
were left to roam about the island, they would certainly 
discover that there were inhabitants in it ; and so nothing 
could be done but to take them prisoners. The poor fellows 
were seized and bound ; and then carried to the bower, where 


192 


ADVENTURES OF 


were most of the goats and the plantings pf corn. Afterwards 
they were carried to the habitation of the two Englishmen. 

Here they were set to work, though there was not much for 
them to do ; and by negligence in guarding them, one ran away 
to the woods, and they could not find him ; but they had good 
reason to believe he got home with savages who came on shore 
three or four weeks afterwards, and who, carrying on their 
revels as usual, went off in two days’ time. This thought terri- 
fied them exceedingly ; for they concluded he would certainly 
give an account that there were people in the island, and also 
how few and weak they were. 

The first testimony they had that this fellow had given intel- 
ligence of them was about two months later, when six canoes 
of savages, with eight or ten men in a canoe, came rowing along 
the north side of the island, and landed, soon after sunrise, at a 
convenient place, about a mile from the habitation of the two 
Englishmen, w;here this escaped man had been kept. The two 
men had the happiness to discover them about a league off, so 
that it was more than an hour before they landed. Having 
great reason to believe that they were betrayed, the first thing 
the Englishmen did was to bind the two slaves who had been 
the companions of the escaped savage, and cause two of the three 
men that had been brought with the women, and who, it seems, 
proved very faithful to them, to conduct the slaves with the 
Englishmen’s two wives and whatever they could carry away 
to the retired place in the woods, which I have spoken of, and 
there to stay till they heard further. 

As soon as the savages were all on shore, the two men saw 
them coming directly their way, and they opened the fences 
where the milch-goats were kept, and drove them all out ; leav- 
ing them to straggle in the woods whither they pleased, that 
the savages might think they were all wild. 

When the two men had secured their wives and goods, they 
sent the other slave, who was at their place by accident, away 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


193 


to the Spaniards with all speed, to give the alarm and desire 
help. Then they took their arms and what ammunition they 
had, and retreated toward the place in the wood where their 
wives were sent ; keeping at a distance from the savages, yet 
near enough so that they might watch which way the savages 
went. 

They had not gone far, when from a rising ground they 
saw the little army of their enemies come directly to their habi- 
tation, and, in a moment more, could see all their huts and 
household stuff flaming up together, to their great grief and 
mortification. They kept their station for a while, till they 
found the savages spread themselves all over the vicinity, 
rummaging every way in search of the people. 

The two Englishmen, thinking themselves not secure where 
they were, thought it proper to make another retreat about 
half a mile farther. Their next halt was at the entrance into 
a very thick part of the woods, where an old trunk of a tree 
stood, which was hollow and vastly large ; and in this tree they 
both hid to see what might happen. They had not been there 
long before two of the savages appeared running directly that 
way, and they spied three more following, and five more beyond 
the three, all coming the same way ; besides which they saw 
seven or eight at a distance, running another way. 

The poor men were now in great perplexity whether they 
should stay or fly ; but they considered that if the savages 
ranged the country thus, they might find their retreat in the 
woods, and then all would be lost. So they resolved to fight 
them there, and if they were too many to deal with, they would 
get up to the top of the tree, whence they doubted not they 
could defend themselves, as long as their ammunition lasted, 
though all the savages that were landed, which was over fifty, 
were to attack them. 

Having resolved upon this, they decided not to fire at the 
first two, but wait for the middle party, by which plan the 


o 


194 


ADVENTURES OF 


other parties would be separated. The first two savages con- 
firmed them in this ‘ resolution by turning a little from them 
into another part of the wood j but the three, and the five after 
them, came forward directly toward the tree. Seeing them 
come so straight, they resolved to fire one at a time. Perhaps 
the first shot might hit all three ; for which purpose the man 
who was to fire it put three or four small bullets into his gun ; 
and having a fair loophole, from a broken place in the tree, he 
took aim, without being seen, waiting till they were within 
at)out thirty yards of the tree, so that he could not miss. 

While the Englishmen were waiting, they saw that one of 
the three was the savage that had escaped from them ; and 
they both knew him distinctly. As the savages kept near one 
another in a line, when the man fired, he hit two of them. The 
foremost was killed outright, being shot in the head. The sec- 
ond, which was the runaway Indian, was shot through the body 
and fell, but was not quite dead; and a third had a little 
scratch on the shoulder, and, being dreadfully frighted, though 
not much hurt, sat down on the ground, yelling in a hideous 
manner. 

The five that were behind, more frighted with the noise of 
the gun than sensible of the danger, stood still ; for the woods 
made the sound a thousand times bigger than it really was, the 
echoes rattling from one side to another, and the fowls rising 
from all parts, screaming, and every sort making a different 
noise, according to their kind. 

However, all being silent again, they, not knowing what 
the matter was, came on to the place where their companions 
lay ; and here the poor ignorant creatures, not aware that they 
were within reach of the same mischief, stood all of a huddle 
over the wounded man, talking, and, as may be supposed, in- 
quiring of him how he came to be hurt ; for they had never 
heard a gun in all their lives. 

Our two men, though it grieved them to be obliged to kill so 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


195 


many poor creatures, who had no notion of their danger ; yet, 
having them all thus in their power, and the first man having 
loaded his piece again, resolved to let fly both together among 
them ; and singling out, by agreement, which to aim at, they 
shot together, and killed, or very much wounded, four of them. 
The fifth, frighted even to death, though not hurt, fell with the 
rest ; so that our men, seeing them all fall together, thought 
they had killed them all. Our two men came boldly out from 
the tree before they had charged their guns, which was a wrong 
step ; and they were somewhat surprised when they came to 
the place, and found no less than four of the savages alive, and 
of them two very little hurt, and one not at all. This obliged 
them to fall upon the wretches with the stocks of their mus- 
kets and put them out of their pain. 

Then the man that was not hurt at all kneeled down to 
them, with his two hands held up, and made piteous moans and 
gestures for his life. They made signs to him to sit down at 
the foot of a tree, and one of the Englishmen, with a piece of 
rope-twine, which he had by chance in his pocket, tied the 
fellow’s hands behind him, and there they left him. With 
what speed they could, they now made after the two which 
were gone before, fearing they would find their way to the 
covered place in the woods, where their wives and the few 
goods they had left were. They came once in sight of the two, 
but it was at a distance. However, they had the satisfaction 
to see them cross a valley toward the sea ; and being content 
with that, they went b^k to the tree where they had left 
their prisoner, but he was gone, and the pieces of rope-yarn, 
with which they had bound him, lay just at the foot of the 
tree. 

They were now in as great concern as before, not knowing 
how near the enemy might be, or in what number. So they 
resolved to go away to the place where their wives were. The 
savages had been in the wood, and very near that place, but 


196 


ADVENTURES OF 


had not found it; and therefore everything was very safe, 
only the women were in a terrible fright. 

While they were here, they had the comfort to have seven 
of the Spaniards come to their assistance. The other ten, 
with their servants, and old Friday (I mean Friday’s father), 
were gone in a body to defend their bower and the corn and 
cattle that were kept there, in case the savages should rove over 
to that side of the country ; but they did not spread so far. 
With the seven Spaniards came one of the three savages, who, 
as I said, were their prisoners formerly ; and with them also 
came the savage whom the Englishmen had left bound hand 
and foot at the tree; for it seems they came that way, saw 
the slaughter of the seven men, and unbound the eighth, and 
brought him along with them. 

The prisoners now began to be a burden to them ; and 
the Spaniard governor ordered, for the present, that they 
should be sent out of the way, to my old cave in the valley, 
and be kept there, with two Spaniards to guard them and give 
them food for their subsistence, which was done ; and they were 
bound there hand and foot for that night. 

When the Spaniards came, the two Englishmen were so en- 
couraged that they could not satisfy themselves to stay any 
longer there ; but taking five of the Spaniards with four 
muskets and a pistol among them, and two stout quarter- 
staves, away they went in quest of the savages. They came 
to the tree where the men lay that had been killed ; and it was 
easy to see that some more of the savages had been there, for 
they had attempted to carry their dead men away, but had 
given it over. Thence they advanced to rising ground, where 
they saw their camp destroyed, and where they had the morti- 
fication still to see some of the smoke ; but neither could they 
here see any of the savages. They then resolved, though with 
all possible caution, to go forward toward their ruined planta- 
tion ; but, a little before they came thither, arriving in sight 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


197 


of the seashore, they saw the savages all embarking in their 
canoes, in order to be gone. 

The poor Englishmen being now twice ruined, and all their 
improvements destroyed, the rest agreed to come and help 
them to rebuild, and assist them with needful supplies. Their 
three countrymen, who were not noted for having the least 
inclination to do any good, yet as soon as they heard of what 
had happened (for they, living remote eastward, knew nothing 
• of the matter till all was over), came and offered their assist- 
ance, and did very friendly work for several days to restore the 
two men’s habitations and make necessaries for them. And 
thus in a little time they were set upon their legs again. 

It was five or six months after this before our people heard 
any more of the savages. Then, on a sudden, they were in- 
vaded by a most formidable fleet of no less than eight-and- 
twenty canoes, full of savages, armed with bows and arrows, 
great clubs, wooden swords, and such like engines of war. 

As they came on shore in the evening, and at the western- 
most side of the island, our men had that night to consult and 
consider what to do; and they resolved, first of all, to take 
down the huts which were built for the two Englishmen, and 
drive away their goats ; because they supposed the savages 
would go directly thither, as soon as it was day, to play the 
old game over again, though they did not now land within 
two leagues of the place. So our people drove away the 
flock of goats they had at the old bower, and left as little 
appearance of inhabitants anywhere as was possible ; and the 
next morning early they posted themselves, with all their force, 
at the plantation of the two men. 

The new invaders, leaving their canoes, came ranging along 
the shore, to the number of two hundred and fifty, as near as 
our men could judge. Our army was small ; but, that which 
was worse, they had not arms for all their number. The 
whole account stood thus : seventeen Spaniards, five English- 


198 


. ADVENTURES OF 


men, old Friday (or Friday’s father), the three slaves taken 
with the women, and three other slaves, who lived with the 
Spaniards. To arm these, they had sixteen muskets, five pistols, 
three fowling-pieces, two swords, and three old halberds. 

To their slaves they did not give either musket or fusee ; 
but they had each a halberd, or a long staff with a great spike | 
of iron fastened into each end of it, and by his side a hatchet. | 
Also every one of our men had a hatchet. Two of the women | 
could not be prevailed upon, but they would come into the 
fight, and they had bows and arrows, and hatchets too. 

The Spaniard governor commanded the whole; and Will 
Atkins, who, though a dreadful fellow for wickedness, was 
most daring and bold, commanded under him. Our men had 
no advantage in their situation ; only that Will Atkins, with 
six men, was stationed just behind a small thicket of bushes, as 
an advanced guard. 

When the savages ran straggling about every way out of all 
manner of order. Will Atkins let about fifty of them pass by 
him. Then seeing the rest come in a very thick throng, he 
ordered three of his men to fire, they having loaded their muskets 
with six or seven bullets apiece. How many they killed or 
wounded they knew not, but the consternation was inexpressi- 
ble among the savages. They were frighted to the last degree 
to hear such a dreadful noise, and to find some of their men 
killed and some hurt, but to see nobody that did it. In the 
middle of their fright. Will Atkins and his other three men let 
fly again among them ; and in less than a minute, the first 
three, having loaded, gave them a third volley. 

Had Will Atkins and his men retired immediately, as soon 
as they fired, or had the rest of our people been at hand, to 
pour in their shot, the savages would have been effectually 
routed. As it was, the terror that was among them came 
principally from the fact that they were killed and could see 
nobody that hurt them ; but Will Atkins and his men staying 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


199 


to load again, some of the savages who were at a distance spied 
them and came upon them behind. Atkins and his men fired 
two or three times, and killed more than twenty, meanwhile 
retiring as fast as they could, yet the savages wounded Atkins 
himself, and killed one of his fellow-Englishmen with their 
arrows, as they did afterwards one Spaniard, and one of the 
Indian slaves who came with the women. This slave was a 
most gallant fellow, and killed five with no weapons but one 
of the armed staves and a hatchet. 

Atkins and his men, being hard pushed, retreated to a rising 
ground in the wood ; and the Spaniards, after firing three 
volleys, retreated also ; for the number of the assailants was so 
great, and, they were so desperate, that though fully fifty of 
them were killed, and more than as many wounded, yet they 
came on fearless of danger and shot their arrows like a cloud ; 
and it was observed that their wounded, who were not quite 
disabled, fought like madmen. 

Finding our men were gone, they drew themselves up in a 
ring, and shouted twice, in token of their victory. 

The Spaniard governor having gathered his little body of 
men together, Atkins would have had them march and charge ; 
but the Spaniard said : “ Seignior Atkins, you see how their 
wounded men fight ; let them alone till morning. Then all 
the wounded men will be stiff and sore, and so we shall have the 
fewer to engage.” 

This advice was good ; but having waited till after sun- 
down, as it was a clear moonlight night and they found the 
savages in great disorder about their dead and wounded men, 
they resolved to fall upon them at once. One of the English- 
men, in whose quarter it was the fight began, led them round 
between the woods and the seaside westward, and then turn- 
ing short south, they came so near where the thickest of the 
enemy lay, that, before they were seen or heard, eight of them 
fired in upon the savages and did dreadful execution. In half 


200 


ADVENTURES OF 


a minute more, eight others fired, pouring in their small shot in 
such a quantity that abundance were killed and wounded ; and 
all this while the savages were not able to see who hurt them 
or which way to fiy. 

The Spaniards loaded their guns with the utmost expedition, 
and then divided themselves into three bodies, and resolved to 
charge in among them all together. They had in each body 
eight persons, that is to say, in all twenty-two men, and the two 
women, who, by the way, fought desperately. They would have 
had the women keep back, but they said they were resolved 
to die with their husbands. Having thus formed their little 
army, they marched out from among the trees and came to the 
enemy, shouting and hallooing as loud as they could. The 
savages stood all together, but were in the utmost confusion, 
hearing the noise of our men shouting from three quarters. 
As soon as our people came near enough to be seen, some arrows 
were shot, and poor old Friday was wounded, though not dan- 
gerously ; but our men, running up, fired and then fell on the 
foe with the butt-ends of their muskets, their swords, staves, 
and hatchets, and laid about them so well that the savages 
set up a dismal screaming and howling, and fled to save their 
lives which way soever they could. 

Our men killed or mortally wounded in the two fights about 
one hundred and eighty. The rest, being frighted out of their 
wits, scoured through the woods and over the hills, with all 
the speed fear and nimble feet could help them to. As we did 
not trouble ourselves much to pursue them, they got all to- 
gether to the seaside where they had landed, and where their 
canoes lay. But their disaster was not at an end yet ; for it 
blew a terrible storm of wind that night from the sea, so that 
it was impossible for them to go off ; and when the tide came 
up, their canoes were most of them driven by the surge of the sea 
high upon the shore ; and some of them were dashed to pieces. 

Our men got little rest that night ; . but having refreshed 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


201 


themselves as well as they could, they marched to that part of 
the island where the savages were fled. At length they came 
in view of the miserable remains of the savages’ army. There 
appeared to be about a hundred still. Their posture was gen- 
erally sitting on the ground, with the knees up toward the 
mouth, and the head between the two hands. 

When our men came within musket-shot of them, the Span- 
iard governor ordered two muskets to be fired, without ball, to 
alarm them. This he did, that by their actions he might know 
whether they were still in heart to fight, or were so beaten as 
to be discouraged. As soon as the savages heard the guns, they 
started up in the greatest consternation imaginable; and as 
our men advanced swiftly toward them, they all ran screaming 
and yelling away, with a kind of howling noise, which our men 
did not understand, and had never heard before ; and thus they 
ran up the hills into the country. 

At first our men had much rather the weather had been calm, 
and they had all gone away to sea ; but they did not consider 
that this might probably have been the occasion of their coming 
again in such multitudes as not to be resisted. Will Atkins, 
who, notwithstanding his wound, kept always with the rest, 
proved the best counsellor in this case. His advice w^as to take 
tlie advantage that offered, and step in between them and their 
boats which they would then destroy, and so deprive the sav- 
ages of the capacity of ever returning any more to plague the 
island. 

They consulted long about this ; and some were against it 
for fear of making the wretches ffy to the woods and live there 
desperate, and so they should have them to hunt like wild 
beasts, be afraid to stir out about their business, and have their 
plantations continually rifled, all their tame goats destroyed, 
and, in short, be reduced to a life of continual distress. 

Will Atkins told them they had better have to do with a 
hundred men than with a nation ; and he showed the necessity 


202 


ADVENTURES OF 


of destroying the boats so plainly that they went to work im- 
mediately, and getting some dry wood together from a dead tree, 
they tried to set some of them on fire, but the boats were so 
wet that they would not burn well. However, the fire so burned 
the upper part that it made them unfit for floating in the sea any 
more. When the Indians saw what our men were about, some 
of them came running out of the woods, and, approaching as 
near as they dared to our men, kneeled down and cried, “ Oa, 
Oa, Waramokoa ! ” and some other words of their language, 
which none of our people understood anything of ; but as they 
made pitiful gestures and strange noises, it was easy to see 
they begged to have their boats spared, and that they would 
be gone, and never come there again. 

But our men were now satisfied that they had no way to 
preserve themselves, or to save their colony, except by effectu- 
ally preventing any of these people from ever going home to 
tell the story. So letting them know that they should not 
have any mercy, they destroyed every canoe that the storm had 
spared ; at the sight of which the savages raised a hideous cry 
and ran about the island like distracted men. 

The Spaniards, with all their prudence, did not consider that 
while they made those people thus desperate, they ought to 
have kept a good guard at the same time upon their plantations. 
It is true they had driven away their cattle, and the Indians 
did not find my own castle at the hill, nor the cave in the val- 
ley — yet they discovered my plantation at the bower, and 
pulled the bower to pieces, and all the fences about it ; trod all 
the corn under foot, tore up the grape vines, and did our men an 
inestimable damage, though to themselves not one farthing’s 
worth of service. 

Our men were in no condition to hunt them up and down. 
They were nimble of foot, and our men durst not go abroad 
single, for fear of being surrounded with their numbers. The 
best was, they had no weapons; for though they had bows. 


ROBIJ^^SON CRUSOE 


203 


they had no arrows left nor materials to make more ; nor had 
they any edge-tool among them. 

The extremity and distress they were reduced to was indeed 
deplorable ; but, at the same time, our men were also brought 
to very bad circumstances by them ; for their provisions were de- 
stroyed and their harvest spoiled. The only food supply they 
had now was the stock of goats in the valley by the cave, and 
some little corn which grew there, and the plantation of the 
three Englishmen, who were now reduced to two, one of them 
having been killed. They had, as I may say, a hundred 
wolves upon the island, which would devour everything they 
could come at, yet could hardly be come at themselves. 

The first thing they concluded was that they would, if 
possible, drive them to the farther part of the island southeast, 
that if any more savages came on shore, they might not find 
one another; then, that they would daily hunt and harass 
them, and if they could at last tame them, and bring them to 
terms, they would give them corn, and teach them how to 
plant, and live upon their daily labor. 

In order to do this, they so followed them and teiTified them 
with their guns, that they kept out of sight farther and farther 
till reduced to the utmost misery ; and many were found dead 
in the woods, starved to death. Finally the Spaniard gov- 
ernor proposed, if possible, to take one of them alive, and see 
if they could be brought to terms that might save their lives 
and do us no harm. 

It was some while before any could be taken ; but one of 
them was at last surprised and made a prisoner. Finding him- 
self kindly used and victuals given to him, he grew tractable. 
They brought old Friday to him, who talked often with him, 
and told him how kind our men would be to them all ; that 
they would give them part of the island to live in, provided 
they would keep in their own bounds, and that they should 
have corn to plant and make grow for their bread, and some 


204 


ADVENTURES OF 


bread for their present subsistence. Old Friday bade the fel- 
low go and talk with the rest of his countrymen, and see what 
they said ; assuring him that, if they did not agree immedi- 
ately, they sliould be all destroyed. 

The poor wretches, thoroughly humbled, and reduced in 
number to thirty-seven, closed with the proposal at the first 
offer, and begged to have some food given them ; upon which 
twelve Spaniards and two Englishmen, well armed, with three 
Indian slaves and old Friday, marched to the place where they 
were. The three Indian slaves carried a large quantity of bread, 
some rice boiled, made into cakes and dried in the sun, and three 
live goats. The savages were ordered to go to the side of a hill, 
where they sat down and ate their provisions very thankfully, 
and they were the most faithful fellows to their words that could 
be ; for, except when they came to beg victuals and directions, 
they never went out of their bounds ; and there they lived when 
I came to the island. 

They had been taught both to plant corn, make bread, breed 
tame goats, and milk them. They were confined to a neck of 
land, with high rocks behind them, and lying plain toward the 
sea before them, on the southeast corner of the island. They 
had land enough, and it was very good and fruitful. Our men 
taught them to make wooden spades, such as I made for myself, 
and gave them twelve hatchets and three or four knives ; and 
they were the most subjected, innocent creatures that ever were 
heard of. 

After this, the colony enjoyed a perfect tranquillity, with 
respect to the savages, till I came, which was about two years 
after; not but that, now and then, some canoes of savages 
came on shore for their triumphal, unnatural feasts ; but they 
did not make any search or inquiry after their countrymen ; and 
if they had, it would have been very hard to find them. 

Our people taught the savages to make wicker-work, or 
baskets ; but they soon outdid their masters and contrived 


noBmsoi^ CRUSOE 


205 


abundance of most ingenious things. They even made the sides 
of their huts of basket-work all the way round ; and our men 
were so taken with this, that they got the wild savages to come 
and do the like for them. As for Will Atkins, w'ho was now 
become a very industrious, useful, and sober fellow, he had them 
make him such a tent of basket-work as, I believe, was never 
seen, — one hundred and twenty paces round on the outside. 

In this great bee-hive lived the families of the three English- 
men. One of the Englishmen had been killed, but his wife re- 
mained with three children, and the other two men were not at 
all backward to give the widow her full share of everything, of 
corn, milk, grapes, etc., and when they killed a kid, or found a 
turtle on the shore. So they all lived well enough ; though, 
it was true, they were not as industrious as the other two. 

As for religion, I do not know that there was anything of that 
kind among them ; though they often put one another in mind 
that there was a G-od, by the very common method of swearing 
by his name. Nor were their poor ignorant savage wives much 
better for having manded Christians. 

The utmost improvement which the wives had from them 
was that they had taught them to speak English pretty well ; 
and most of their children, who were nearly twenty in all, were 
taught to speak English too, though they at first spoke it in a 
very broken manner, like their mothers. 

CHAPTER XVIII 

Of the things I brought from England and presented to my colony — 
Of the condition in which I left the island — We sail away, and 
three days later encounter a fleet of savage canoes — The death of 
Friday — The voyage is continued and I at length again arrive in 
my native land. 

I ENTERED into a serious discourse with the Spaniard gov- 
ernor about the people’s stay in the island ; for I was not come 


206 


ADVENTURES OF 


to cany any of them off. On the other hand, I came to es- 
tablish them there, and I let him know that I had been at a 
great expense to supply them with all things necessary, as well 
for their convenience as their defence ; and particularly in 
bringing the artificers to assist them. 

The tailor, the smith, and the two carpenters were all of 
them most necessary people. The tailor, to show his concern 
for them, went to work immediately, and made every man 
a shirt ; and, what was still more, he taught the women not 
only how to sew and stitch, and use the needle, but he had 
them assist to make the shirts for their husbands and for all 
the rest. 

As to the carpenters, they took to pieces all my clumsy, 
unhandy things, and made convenient tables, stools, bedsteads, 
cupboards, lockers, shelves, and everything the colony wanted 
of that kind. 

I gave every man a spade, a shovel, and a rake ; and to 
every separate place a pick-axe, a broad axe, and a saw ; always 
appointing, that as often as any were broken or worn out, they 
should be replaced without grudging from the general stores 
that I left behind. Nails, hinges, hammers, chisels, knives, 
and all sorts of iron-work, the people had without reserve, as 
they required ; and for the use of the smith I left two tons of 
unwrought iron for a supply. My magazine of powder and 
arms which I brought was such, even to profusion, that they 
could not but rejoice ; for now they could march as I used to 
do, with a musket upon each shoulder, if there was occasion. 

Before I went away, I concluded I ought to parcel the land 
out among the dwellers in the island that they might not quarrel 
afterwards about their situations. This sharing out the land 
I left to Will Atkins, who divided it justly, and to every one’s 
satisfaction. I caused a paper to be drawn up and signed and 
sealed, setting out the bounds of every man’s plantation, and 
testifying that I gave them thereby severally a right to the 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


20T 


whole possession and inheritance of the respective plantations, 
reserving all the rest of the island as my own property, and 
a certain rent for every particular plantation after eleven years. 

As to the government and laws amongst them, I told them I 
was not capable of giving them better rules than they were able 
to give themselves ; only I made them promise to live in love 
and good neighborhood with one another. 

Being now settled in a kind of commonwealth among them- 
selves, it was odd to have seven and thirty Indians in a nook of 
the island independent, and, indeed, unemployed ; for, except- 
ing the providing themselves food, they had no manner of busi- 
ness. I suggested, therefore, to the governor Spaniard, that he 
should go with Friday’s father, and propose to them to remove, 
and either plant for themselves, or be taken into the several 
families as servants, to be maintained for their labor. 

They agreed to the governor’s proposal, and came all very 
cheerfully along with him. So we allotted three or four of them 
land, but all the rest chose to be employed as servants. Thus 
my colony was in a manner settled as follows : the Spaniards 
possessed my original habitation, which was the capital city, 
and extended their plantations all along the side of the brook 
as far as my bower. The English lived in the northeast part, 
where Will Atkins and his comrades began, and every planta- 
tion had a great addition of land to take in, if they found occa- 
sion, so that they need not jostle one another for want of room. 

All the west end of the island was left uninhabited, that if 
any of the savages should come on shore there for their custom- 
ary barbarities, they might come and go ; and I never heard 
that the planters were attacked or disturbed any more. 

It is to be observed here that I did not think fit to let them 
know anything of the sloop I had brought on the ship ; for had 
I set up the sloop, and left it among them, they would, upon 
every light disgust, have separated, and gone away from one 
another; or perhaps have turned pirates, and so made the 


208 


ADVENTURES OF 


island a den of thieves ; nor did I leave the two pieces of brass 
cannon that I had on board, or the two quarterdeck guns, for 
the same reason. 

When I departed, the people were all in a flourishing condi- 
tion. I went on board the ship on the 6th of May, having been 
about twenty-five days among them ; and I promised to send 
them further supplies from the Brazils, if I could possibly find 
an opportunity ; particularly some sheep, hogs, and cows. 

The next day, giving them a salute of five guns at parting, 
we set sail, and arrived at the bay of All Saints in the Brazils 
in about twenty-two days, meeting nothing remarkable in our 
passage but this : that about three days after we had sailed, 
being becalmed, and the current setting strong to the northeast, 
we were driven somewhat out of our course, and once or twice 
our men cried out, “ Land ! ” but whether it was the continent 
or islands we could not tell. 

The third day, near evening, the weather calm, we saw 
the sea covered toward the land with something very black. 
Our chief mate, going up the main-shrouds a little way, and 
looking with a perspective, cried out it was an army. I could 
not imagine what he meant. “ Sir,” says he, “ ’tis an army in 
a fleet ; and I believe there are a thousand canoes, and they are 
coming toward us.” 

I was a little startled, and my nephew, the captain, was 
still more so ; for he had heard such terrible stories of the sav- 
ages in the island, that he said two or three times we should 
all be devoured. I must confess, considering we were be- 
calmed, and the current setting strong toward the shore, I 
liked it the worse. However, I bade my companions not to 
be afraid. 

The weather continued calm, and the canoes came on apace 
toward us. So I gave orders to anchor and furl all our sails. I 
told our crew they had nothing to fear but fire, and they should 
get their boats out, and fasten them, one close by the head, and 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


209 


the other by the stern, and man them both well. This I did, 
that the men in the boats should be ready with sheets® and 
buckets to put out any fire the savages might endeavor to fix 
to the outside of the ship. 

In this posture we lay by for them, and in a little while they 
came to us. Never before was such horrid sight seen by Chris- 
tians. Though my mate was much mistaken in his calculation 
of the number of their canoes, yet when they came up we reck- 
oned about a hundred and twenty-six ; some of which had six- 
teen or seventeen men in them. 

The savages seemed to be struck with wonder and astonish- 
ment, as at a sight which doubtless they had never seen before. 
Five or six of the large canoes came so near our long-boat that 
our men beckoned with their hands to keep them back, which 
they understood very well, and went back ; but at their retreat 
about fifty arrows came on board us, and one of our men in the 
long-boat was very much wounded. 

I called to our men not to fire, and we handed down some 
boards into the boats, and the carpenters presently set up a kind 
of fence to cover them from the arrows of the savages, if they 
should shoot again. 

About half an hour afterwards they all came up in a body 
astern of us, and in a short time more they rowed a little farther 
out to sea, till they were directly broadside with us, and then 
rowed down straight upon us, till they came so near that we 
could hear them speak. Upon this I ordered all my men to 
keep close, lest they should shoot any more arrows ; but being 
so near as to be within hearing, I made Friday go out upon the 
deck, and call to them in his language to know what they 
meant ; w^hich accordingly he did. 

Whether they understood him, I knew not ; but immediately 
he cried out they were going to shoot, and, unhappily for him, 
they let fly about two hundred of their arrows, and, to my in- 
expressible grief, killed Friday, no other man being in their 

p 


210 


ADVENTURES OF 


sight. The poor fellow was shot with no less than three arrows, 
and about three more fell very near him. 

I was so enraged at the loss of my trusty servant and com- 
panion that I ordered five cannon to be loaded with small shot, 
and four with great, and gave them such a broadside as they had 
never heard in their lives before. They were not more than half 
a cable’s length off when we fired ; and I can neither tell how 
many we killed nor how many we wounded, but surely such a 
fright and hurry never were seen among such a multitude. 
There were thirteen or fourteen of their canoes split or overturned, 
and the men all set a-swimming. The rest, frightened out of 
their wits, scoured away as fast as they could, taking but little 
care to save those whose boats were spoiled with our shot ; so I 
suppose that many of them were lost. Our men picked up one 
fellow, swimming for his life, fully an hour after the canoes 
were all gone. 

They fled so fast that, in three hours or thereabouts, we 
could not see more than three or four straggling canoes, nor did 
we ever see the rest any more ; for a breeze of wind springing 
up the same evening, we set sail for the Brazils. 

We had a prisoner, indeed, but the creature was so sullen 
that he would neither eat nor speak, and we all fancied he 
would starve himself to death ; but I took a way to cure him ; 
for I made our men take him and make him believe they would 
toss him into the sea, and so leave him where they found him, 
if he would not speak ; and they really did throw him into the 
sea, and came away from him. Then he followed them, and 
called to them, though they knew not one word of what he said. 
However, at last, they took him in and he began to be more 
tractable. 

It was a long while before we could make him understand 
anything ; but, in time, our men taught him some English, and 
we inquired what country he came from, but could make noth- 
ing of what he said ; for his speech was all gutturals, and 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


211 


spoken in the throat in such a hollow, odd manner, that we 
were of the opinion that he might speak that language as well 
if he ’were gagged as otherwise ; nor could we perceive that in 
speaking he had any occasion either for teeth, tongue, lips, or 
palate, but formed the words with an open throat. He told us, 
however, some time after, when we had taught him a little 
English, that the savages were going with their kings to fight 
a great battle. When he said kings, we asked him how many 
kings. He said they were “ five nation ” and that they all 
joined to go against “two nation.” We asked him what made 
them come out to us. 

He said, “ To makee te great wonder look.” 

All those natives, when they learn English, add two e’s at 
the end of a word where we use one ; and they place the accent 
upon them. I could hardly make Friday leave off the extra e. 
And now I name the poor fellow once more, I must take my 
last leave of him. Poor honest Friday ! We buried him with 
all the decency and solemnity possible, by putting him into a 
coffin, and throwing him into the sea ; and I caused the crew 
to fire eleven guns for him ; and so ended the life of the most 
grateful, faithful, honest, and affectionate servant that ever 
man had. 

We went away with a fair wind for Brazil ; and in about 
seventeen days’ time we came to anchor off the bay of All 
Saints, and I got on shore three bales of English goods, such as 
fine broadcloths, and linen, which I had brought for a present 
to my partner. 

He was a very generous, open-hearted man ; and he sent 
me on board a gift of fresh provisions, and sweetmeats, some 
tobacco, and three or four fine medals of gold. Now I proposed 
to set up the sloop, which I had brought with me from England, 
in order to send the supplies I intended to my plantation. 

Accordingly, I got hands, and finished the sloop in a very 
few days, for she was already framed ; and I gave the master 


212 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


of her such instructions that he could not miss the place. I 
got the vessel soon loaded with the small cargo I sent ; and 
one of our seamen offered to go with the sloop and settle. 
So I wrote to the governor Spaniard, to allot him a sufficient 
quantity of land for a plantation, and gave him some clothes 
and tools for his work, which he said he understood, having 
been an old planter at Maryland, and a buccaneer into the 
bargain. I encouraged the fellow, and, as an addition, I granted 
him the savage whom we had taken prisoner of war to be his 
slave, and ordered the governor Spaniard to give him his share 
of everything he wanted with the rest. 

When we came to fit this man out, my old partner told me 
there was a certain very honest follow, a Brazil planter of his 
acquaintance, who had fallen into the displeasure of the church. 
“ I know not what the matter is with him,” says he, “ but 
I think he is a heretic, and he would be very glad to get away 
with his wife and two daughters, if you would let them go to 
your island and allot them a plantation.” 

I granted this presently, and we put them on board the sloop. 

Among the supplies for my tenants in the island, I sent 
three milch-cows and five calves, about twenty-two hogs and four 
horses. For my Spaniards, I engaged three Portugal women 
to go, and recommended the Spaniards to marry them and use 
them kindly. 

'All this cargo arrived safe, and, as you may easily suppose, 
was very welcome to my old inhabitants. 

I have now done with the island, and all manner of discourse 
about it ; and have only to add that after a long voyage to the 
Indies and to China I at length arrived in London the 10th of 
January, 1705, having been absent from England ten years and 
nine months. And here I resolved to prepare for a longer 
journey than all these, having lived a life of infinite variety 
seventy-two years, and learned sufficiently to know the value 
of retirement and the blessing of ending our days in peace. 



England and its Vicinity, showing Various Places mentioned 

IN THE Story 


NOTES 

Page 1. Flanders was a former district of Europe extending 
across western Belgium into Holland on the north and France on 
the south. Here the Dutch were at war with Spain from 1621 to 
1648, when the Spaniards finally gave up the stimggle. 

Page 3. The Humber is a navigable river on which Hull is situ- 
ated, about twenty-five miles from the mouth. 

Page 4. Roads : a place where ships can lie at anchor some dis- 
tance from shore. 

Page 10. Morisco : A descendant of one of the Moors who 
remained in Spain after the conquest of Granada in 1492. 

Page 10. A fusee is a flintlock gun. . 

Page 19. A piece of eight was a Spanish coin formerly very 
widely used in the world’s commerce. It was of silver, and got its 
name from the fact that it was equivalent to eight reals. In size and 
weight it was much the same as our silver dollar. 

Page 20. A gold ducat was worth about $ 2. 

Page 24. The Caribbee Islands extend in a long chain north and 
south, separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. They 
are now called The Lesser Antilles. 

213 


214 


NOTES 




JVOTSS 


215 


Page 31. Examination of the various references contained in the 
hook to the surroundings of the island place it very definitely south- 
east of Trinidad, with forty miles between ; hut in reality there is 
only water in that direction, and the island which best fits the case 
is Tobago, eighteen miles northeast of Trinidad. Tobago is thirty- 
two miles long and from six to nine miles broad. It was discovered 
by Columbus in 1498. From its rough, gloomy-looking mountains, 
dense forests, and the abrupt precipices of its coast it has been called 
“The Melancholy Isle”; but close acquaintance with it imparts a 
very agreeable impression. The climate is extremely salubrious, the 
sea breezes cool the highlands, and the rich tropical verdure is beau- 
tiful and romantic. Its inhabitants number about twenty thousand. 
They are mostly of African descent, but they all speak English. 
The principal exports are sugar, cotton, coffee, and cocoanuts. 



Plan of Crusoe’s Habitation (page 35) 

1. His cave. 4. Tent made for Friday. 

2. His tent. 5. The ladders for ascending to 

3. Line of palisades. the hilltop. 



216 


NOTES 


Page 32. A crow is an iron bar with a claw or beak at the end. 

Page 52. Case-bottle : a bottle made to fit in a case with others, 
and therefore usually square in form. 

Page 56. The cassava is a shrubby tropical plant with fleshy 
roots. These roots when grated and pressed yield an edible starch. 

Page 74. Watch-coat : A coat, longer and heavier than ordinary, 
worn by a ship’s officer when on watch. Pormerly common seamen 
also had such coats. 

Page 85. Buskins are a strong covering for the foot that come 
up high on the leg. Spatterdashes are leg coverings to protect the 
wearer from water and mud. 

Page 108. A doubloon is a coin of Spain and South America 
worth nearly ^ 15. 

Page 108. Pumps are low shoes with thin soles. 

Page 119. The Caribs were the original inhabitants of the West 
India Islands. In the time of Columbus these Indians were numer- 
ous and powerful. They were also warlike and aggressive, and they 
strenuously opposed the advances of the Europeans. It is supposed 
they were cannibals. They have almost disappeared from the 
islands, and at present their chief settlement is in Honduras where 
they form an industrious and prosperous portion of the people, 
though still retaining their ancient language and many of their 
primitive customs. 

Page 103. A moidore is a gold coin of Portugal worth about 
16.50. 

Page 209. A skeet is a scoop with a long handle used in wash- 
ing the sides of vessels. 

When Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island^ he 
started a map of the imaginary island almost as soon as he began 
to write the book. Thenceforth he kept the map constantly before 
him until he finished the book, adding to it or correcting it accord- 
ing to the necessities of the story. As a result there was never any 
confusion, the descriptions never contradict, and it is perfectly clear 
what was the shape of the island and in exactly what parts of it the 
various incidents of the tale occurred. I doubt if Defoe in evolv- 
ing Robinson Crusoe ever took the trouble to outline that tropi- 
cal island on which his hero lived so long. He tells the story with 
great detail, and the impression conveyed is very truth-like, yet there 
is a good deal of vague uncertainty about the island’s geography. 
After careful study, I have made the accompanying map, which 
agrees as nearly as possible with the descriptions. The points indi- 
cated by the numbers are as follows ; — 


NOTES 


21T 



1. Here the ship was driven on a shoal. 

. 2. Here Robinson reached the land. 

3. Here the wreck lay the morning after the storm only one- 
r fourth mile from shore at low tide. 

4. Here Robinson built his “castle” on the northwest side of 
’ a hill. 

I 5. In this valley Robinson built his “bower.” 

6. The route taken by Robinson when he first explored the 
north shore. 

-..-7. Here Robinson erected a pole. 

8. The wooded valley in which Robinson was lost. Here he 
afterward found a cave, and here he in time kept a part of his 
goats. 

9. The rocks extending out into the sea with a sandy beach at 
the end. 

10. The landing places of several parties of cannibals on the 
south side of the island. 

11. The settlement of the two Englishmen. 

12. The settlement of the three Englishmen. 

13. On this peninsula a large party of savages was kept confined. 


218 


NOTES 


CONTEMPORARY HISTORY 

Some of the more important events in England and America, 
covering the years between Crusoe’s birth in 1632 and his return 
from his last voyage in 1705, are noted below. 

[1632-49] Charles I, king of England. In the last six years of 
his reign he was engaged in a stubborn war with the “ Long Parlia- 
ment.” After Charles was beheaded the government was in the 
hands of Cromwell for nine years [1649-58]. Soon after Crom- 
well’s death the monarchy was restored and Charles II sat on 
the throne. Early in his reign London was devastated by “The 
Great Plague” [1665], concerning which Defoe wrote one of his 
most famous books. The scourge continued at its height from May 
to October, and one hundred thousand people died in the city. 

[1666] This year London suffered from, “The Great Fire” 
which left in ashes thirteen thousand houses and eighty-nine 
churches. 

[1685] After the death of Charles II his brother, James II, 
became the British ruler, but it was not long before he was dethroned 
by a revolution [1689], and he was succeeded by his nephew Will- 
iam III, Prince of Orange. James fled to France, where he was 
befriended by the king, Louis XIV ; and then began a long strug- 
gle between France and England, which lasted, with occasional inter- 
missions, for seventy-four years. 

[1702] William III died and Queen Anne came to the throne. 

[1659] At the time Crusoe was wrecked on his island the settle- 
ment of both North and South America was well under way, and 
colonization in the West Indies dated back nearly a century and a 
half. Cuba was permanently settled in 1511 by the Spaniards, and 
they soon were established on many of the other islands, and at 
Panama, and in Peru and Mexico. Within a few decades, too, 
there were European settlements in the region of the Rio de la Plata, 
and in Brazil, and on the north coast of South America, where 
now are Guiana and Venezuela. The book gives the impres- 
sion that Trinidad was a wilderness inhabited by Indians. So it 
was, for the most part, yet Spain had a colony there as early as 1532. 

The first town to be started within the present boundaries of the 
United States was St. Augustine, settled by the Spaniards in 1565. 
The English made their first settlement at Jamestown in 1607, and 
in the same year the French established themselves in Nova Scotia, 


NOTES 


219 


and immediately afterward at Quebec. New York was started by 
the Dutch in 1614, chiefly for the purpose of fur-trading. Just half 
a century later [1664] the English took possession of the settlement, 
the town then having attained to a population of fifteen hundred. 
Plymouth was settled in 1620, Maryland in 1634, Charleston in 
1680, and the Quakers, under the lead of William Penn, began to 
migrate about this time to the forests of Pennsylvania. 

[1682] The Mississippi was for the first time explored from its 
upper waters to the mouth. This expedition under the famous La 
Salle gave France a claim to all the interior of the continent. 

[1675-78] Great havoc was wrought in New England by King 
Philip’s War. Many towns were sacked and burned and many lives 
lost before the savages were finally subjugated. 

[1689] For a long time after this date, as a result of the hostilities 
between France and England, the northern English colonies in 
America suffered severely from invasions of French and Indians 
from Canada. 



MACMILLAN’S 

POCKET SERIES OF ENGLISH 
CLASSICS 

UNIFORM IN SIZE AND BINDING 
Cloth ------ 25 Cents Each 


B. A. Heydrick, State Normal School, Millersville, Pa. 

“ I know of no edition that can compare with yours in attractiveness 
and cheapness. So far as I have examined it the editor’s work has 
been judiciously performed. But well-edited texts are easy to find: 
you have done something new in giving us a beautiful book, one that 
will teach pupils to love and care for books ; and, which seems to me 
quite as important, you have made an edition which does not look 
‘ school-booky.’ ” 

Oscar D. Robinson, Principal High School, Albany, N.Y. 

“ The books possess all the excellencies claimed for them, — scholarly 
annotation, convenience of form, beautiful open pages, attractive bind- 
ing, and remarkably low price. I shall take pleasure in recommending 
them for use in our school.” 

S. H. Bundell, Principal Girls’ High School, Lancaster, Pa. 

“ The publishers may justly be proud of the clear type, convenient 
size, and beautiful binding of the book.” 

George McK. Bain, Principal High School, Norfolk, Va. 

“ Handsomer volumes for school use I have never seen. They are 
well edited, clearly printed, and beautifully bound, while the price is 
remarkably low.” 

Professor Charles M. Curry, Indiana State Normal School. 

“ You have hit upon a splendid form for this series, and the price will 
certainly attract the attention of any one who has been looking for good 
material at a ‘ good ’ price.” 

C. N. Kendall, Superintendent of Schools, Indianapolis. 

“The form in which you send out these little volumes is very 
attractive.” 


THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

6i FIFTH AVENUE, HEW YORK 


ENGLISH CLASSICS 


Addison’s Sir Roger de Coverley. Edited by Zelma Gray. 

Browning’s Shorter Poems. Edited by Franklin T. Baker. 

Mrs. Browning’s Poems (Selections from). Edited by Heloise E. 
Hershey. 

Burke’s Speech on Conciliation. Edited by S. C. Newsom. 

Byron’s Childe Harold. Edited by A. J. George. 

Byron’s Shorter Poems. Edited by Ralph Hartt Bowles. 

Carlyle’s Essay on Burns, with Selections. Edited by Willard C. 
Gore. 

Chaucer’s Prologue to the Book of the Tales of Canterbury, the Knight’s 
Tale, and the Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Edited by Andrew Ingraham. 
Coleridge’s The Ancient Mariner. Edited by T. F. Huntington. 
Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans. Edited by W. K. Wickes. 

Cooper’s The Deerslayer. 

De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium Eater. Edited by Arthur 
Beatty. 

Dryden’s Palamon and Arcite. Edited by Percival Chubb. 

Early American Orations, 1760-1824. Edited by Louie R. Heller. 
Epoch-making Papers in United States History. Edited by M. S. Brown. 
Franklin’s Autobiography. 

George Eliot’s Silas Mamer. Edited by E. L. Gulick. 

Goldsmith’s Vicar of Wakefield. Edited by H. W. Boynton. 
Hawthorne’s Twice-Told Tales. Edited by R. C. Gaston. 

Irving’s Alhambra. Edited by Alfred M. Hitchcock. 

Irving’s Life of Goldsmith. Edited by Gilbert Sykes Blakely. 
Irving’s Sketch Book. 

Jonathan Edwards’ Sermons (Selections from). Edited by Professor 
H. N. Gardiner. 

Longfellow’s Evangeline. Edited by Lewis B. Semple. 

Lowell’s Vision of Sir Launfal. Edited by Herbert E. Bates. 
Macaulay’s Essay on Addison. Edited by C. W. French. 

Macaulay’s Essay on Clive. Edited by J. W. Pearce. 

Macaulay’s Essay on Johnson. Edited by William Schuyler. 
Macaulay’s Essay on Milton. Edited by C. W. French. 

Macaulay’s Essay on Warren Hastings. Edited by Mrs. M. J. Frick. 


ENGLISH CLASSICS 


Milton’s Comus, Lycidas, and Other Poems. Edited by Andrew J. 
George. 

Milton’s Paradise Lost. Books I and II. Edited by W. I. Crane. 
Palgrave’s Golden Treasury of Songs and Lyrics. 

Plutarch’s Lives of Caesar, Brutus, and Antony. Edited by Martha 
Brier. 

Poe’s Poems. Edited by Charles W. Kent. 

Poe’s Prose Tales (Selections from). 

Pope’s Homer’s Iliad. Edited by Albert Smyth. 

Ruskin’s Sesame and Lilies, and King of the Golden River. Edited by 
Herbert E. Bates. 

Scott’s Ivanhoe. Edited by Alfred M. Hitchcock. 

Scott’s Lady of the Lake. Edited by Elizabeth A. Packard. 

Scott’s Lay of the Last Minstrel. Edited by Ralph H. Bowles. 
Scott’s Marmion. Edited by George B. Aiton. 

Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Edited by Charles Robert Gaston. 
Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Edited by L. A. Sherman, 

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Edited by George W. Hufford and 
Lois G. Hufford. 

Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. Edited by Charlotte W. Under- 
wood. 

Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Edited by C. W. French. 

Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Edited by Edward P. Morton. 
Shelley and Keats (Selections from). Edited by S. C. Newsom. 
Southern Poets (Selections from). Edited by W. L. Weber. 

Spenser’s Faerie Queene, Book I. Edited by George Armstrong 
Wauchope. 

Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Edited by H. A. Vance. 

Tennyson’s The Princess. Edited by Wilson Farrand. 

Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, Edited by W. T. Vlymen. 

Tennyson’s Shorter Poems. Edited by Charles Read Nutter. 

John Woolman’s Journal. 

Wordsworth’s Shorter Poems. Edited by Edward Fulton. 

Old English Ballads. Edited by Professor William D. Armes. 
Kingsley’s The Heroes. Edited by Charles A. McMurry. 

. 3 


ENGLISH CLASSICS 



Macaulay’s Poems. Edited by Franklin T. Baker. 

Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. Edited by Clifton Johnson. 

The Arabian Nights’ Entertainments. Edited by Clifton Johnson. 
Keary’s Heroes of Asgard. Edited by Charles A. McMurry. 
Hawthorne’s Grandfather’s Chair. Edited by Charles A. McMurry. 
Longfellow’s Courtship of Miles Standish. Edited by Homer P. Lewis. 
Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Selected and edited by James H. Fassett. 
Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Edited by Clifton Johnson. 

Out of the Northland. Stories from the Northern Myths. By Emilie 
Kip Baker. 

Scott’s The Talisman. Edited by Frederick Trendly. 

Scott’s Quentin Durward. 


THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

66 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 
4 


9 « 


- K 


• • 








^1 .. 


■ V 


* i 




•< ^ •; 


!; 4 r» 


‘ • ' r* 


^ I??*: 

«| 

* « 


'■r, . 


n 

. _*- 

y ”^' . 






f * 


> 




J 


‘A- 




» ^ 


_ w 


* 


Vii^ 


'p^ 




A* 




^r 


' > • 


c 

^ • 


.l‘ ■'» 


‘“'r'Sirf!.- 

^.SPrK 4 , 


• «i 




It 




, SI 


r m <y 


•il 




NOV 15 1904 




•I 


» 


't’O' 


f •■ 






'y' - * KT^- • 

9 J ^ ... * ■• 

^ *> * ]|^' ^ * «• "J^V *' 


r f.. V 


41 




fe.- --s/' 
iPs i.ftf 


‘A*. ‘ •-• 4 4^J 

^ .% y • • •- Jig- -^\ * I jffi 

■>>-; • ■ .' 


ftf > .. 



4 4 


*. 'f. 






i • *3*? ■ 

Vii' 















,fy 


m 


. »fi 


:<iii 




--» ' 


M V.I 


r-t 




4 l 




=S .-i 




<V/;: 




.J:V 








7 




p, - ^ 


r:/ ” 


.. _ „ 






•s^:i 


.o- 


,.v 










t • r • • 




* . •'• 




* *r^ *' • . 


. ' 

r .r 3 '»’^ 


><«■«;■> : 1 * 








if.iti 


1 ^! 


r'T. r- 






W,^H. 




^>1 -^1 


i;i; ■ r ■®f3v;-’'ST3iaaa'''^ ■ -.w 


JP 


;v. 


>•: *e: 




lii 




i »-1 




n 




'■• 'v 


§ 


-•? Vv 




7: i 


■LOii 




5 ^J 


' ,v-V. _ y>w; 

I J . ‘ J* • H 




K>-r/ 

"'i x 1 . I 




iT ** 




>•» 




lit %> 


if>[ 


/I 


.»(k: 




■fw V 


* r. • ^ /. 


I » 




I.' 




f.<K ■». 




>»•; 


in: 


ir% *' 


Z/* 








iy 


• 1 :^ 






r*. ,% 


/-’I 


• 3 i 


■‘V:. 


,> 21 V^- 


A>’ 
rA# I 




\&. 










- i‘! 


*'H 


.- * 


I® 








Y* 







K" ‘ . • 






* *4 

^ ■a|;l 







